Latest news with #TVLicence
Scotsman
04-06-2025
- General
- Scotsman
TV Licence fee scams: how to spot ‘urgent payment' scams?
Double check the TV Licence email you just received is genuine or not 🚨 Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... TV Licensing is warning Brits about potential scams. Crooks could use dodgy emails to trick you out of your hard-earned cash. But how can you spot one of these scam emails? If your TV Licence is up for renewal in the near future, you are likely to get a timely reminder by email. However before you click any link, make sure it is genuine and not a scam. Tech-savvy crooks could be targeting you with fake emails in a bid to trick you out of your hard-earned cash. People who receive these scams could be asked to make an 'urgent payment'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But what are the signs you need to watch out for? Here's all you need to know: How can you spot a TV licence scam email? Ahead of April's price hike, a legal expert from The University of Law has shared their advice on whether you really do need to pay the license fee (and what happens if you don't). On its website , TV Licensing has issued guidance on ways to spot scam emails. It explains: 'We want to help keep your personal information safe from TV Licence scams. For peace of mind, you can always check your licence or payment plan by signing in to your account on our website.' TV Licensing adds that genuine emails 'will only include the name and/or part of your postcode' and warns that 'many scams simply use your email address or say 'Dear Customer''. Other signs to watch out for include: Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scam emails often tell you that you need to make an urgent payment. We only email you about payments if you have missed one. You can sign in to your account to check. TV Licence scam emails may show a fake licence number. Your licence number is on letters we send you, or search your email inbox for emails from 'donotreply@ (or ' donotreply@ '). The company adds that it only sends email from the following address: donotreply@ (or donotreply@ ). While scammers often hide the true email address they're using. On your device, select the sender's name (or email address) to show the actual email address. TV Licensing also says: 'If you are a TV Licensing payment card customer and you make mobile payments via the TVL Pay app, you may receive emails from noreply@ The sender's name will show as 'TVL Pay'.'
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Millions of Netflix users could face an eye-watering £1,000 fine for using new feature
The countdown to Netflix 's Tudum Live is officially on, with just two days to go before the highly-anticipated event hits our screens. The show - named after the sound that plays at the start of every Netflix movie - is described as 'Netflix's biggest fan party', and will feature several live performances. While you might be excited to watch the show in real-time, doing so could land you with a hefty fine. The problem is that you still need a TV Licence to watch live shows - even if they are being shown on a streaming service like Netflix. At a newly increased price of £174.50, paying for a TV Licence isn't cheap. However, it is still a lot less than the fine you might face for not having one. 'Not paying for a TV Licence could lead to a £1,000 fine if we find that you have been watching, recording or downloading programmes illegally,' TV Licensing explains on its website. 'The maximum fine is £2,000 in Guernsey. Plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.' Typically, you don't need a TV Licence to watch streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney+. However, you still need a licence to watch live programming regardless of whether you are using a streaming service or not. TV Licensing explains: 'You need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch live on streaming services - such as ITVX, Channel 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now, Sky Go, Netflix and Freely. 'You don't need a TV Licence if you never watch live on any channel, pay TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer.' That means you won't be at risk of a fine if you only use on-demand services, but will be in breach of the rules if you tune in for a live event. The cost of a TV Licence recently increased by £5 per year, rising from £169.50 to £174.50 on April 1. While you can pay this in one go, most people choose to spread the cost by Direct Debit - this works out at £14.54 per month. If you don't pay your TV Licence, you could face a huge fine. 'We could visit your address to confirm if you need a TV Licence,' TV Licensing warned. 'If we find that you have been watching, recording or streaming programmes illegally, you risk prosecution and a fine for not having a TV Licence of up to £1,000 plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.' These same rules apply to all streaming services, including those accessed by the Amazon Fire Stick. This device is used to access services including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV+ but Amazon has recently added several live channels. This includes BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC News, BBC Scotland, and BBC Alba. However, watching any of those channels will require a TV licence, just as if you were watching through any other type of device. So, if you're planning on watching any live events or television from your home, be sure to double check you have the appropriate licence in order to avoid a fine.
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Energy bill warning as expert urges households to make £200 check this month
Households still feeling the financial wrath of soaring energy bills and council tax are being urged to complete one simple check that could result in an average refund of £200 Households could claw £100s back on their energy bills this month by making one simple check. While Brits across the nation are still feeling the financial wrath of ' Awful April ' - which saw council tax, energy bills, and even the TV Licence soar - energy firms are holding onto an estimated £3.28 billion in customer credit balances. Research by money-saving experts over at found that 57 per cent of households think their supplier owes them money, but 47 per cent weren't sure exactly what the balance on their account was. Across 2024, the average household credit balance was a staggering £215. But, with a mild winter, it is even more likely that Brits will have built up credit - as their bills will be based on estimates driven by previous years' usage. If you've been paying by Direct Debit, May is the perfect month to see whether you've built up credit, as you'll likely start using less energy as the weather continues to improve. "No one should have a big credit balance built up in their energy account right now," Greg Marsh of said in a statement sent to the Mirror. "Most suppliers won't automatically refund you if you've paid too much, and could be unfairly holding on to money that you're owed. "If you've got a traditional meter and haven't submitted a reading in a while, you'll be paying bills based on estimates that could be significantly out after an unusually mild winter. Energy companies know how hard it is to stay on top of this stuff, and hope that we just put up with paying more than we need to." Get the best deals and tips from Mirror Money WHATSAPP GROUP: Get money news and top deals straight to your phone by joining our Money WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. NEWSLETTER: Or sign up to the Mirror's Money newsletter here for all the best advice and shopping deals straight to your inbox. As previously reported, energy firms must follow 'reasonable steps' to make sure that your Direct Debit levels are fair and justifiable. If you're in lots of credit, call your supplier up for an explanation. Energy rules strictly state that suppliers must provide a refund - or explain 'clearly' why they won't - if a customer requests a refund. If they don't, you can make a formal complaint, and if it rejects it, escalate it to the Energy Ombudsman for free, which can adjudicate," Martin Lewis ' MSE states. Each energy firm has slightly different policies when it comes to issuing a refund. For example, EDF Energy requires customers to provide an up-to-date meter reading first, while British Gas says you can ask for a credit refund at any time. You can check your energy firm's policy here. Will my energy bill start to fall? Following years of spiralling energy costs, the government has finally confirmed its ambitious plans to cut annual costs by £300 by 2030. Through its Great British Energy scheme, Labour has vowed to 'harness clean energy' and have 'less reliance on volatile international energy markets'. It has also pledged more funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which offers grants to support the transition from fossil fuel heating systems to heat pumps or biomass boilers. As previously reported, this would allow households to receive £7,500 towards an air source heat pump, £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump, or £5,000 towards a biomass boiler - which could knock £100 off annual energy bills.
Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
TV Licence holders urged to make one phone call to get bill slashed to £0
Thousands of struggling Brits grappling with the wrath of 'Awful April' have been urged to make one simple phone call that could wipe their £174.50 BBC TV Licence fee down to zero A quick call could save thousands of cash-strapped Brits a staggering £174.50 a year. ' Awful April ' has seen a slew of household bills - including Council Tax, Road Tax, and energy cost - drastically rise, with the average person now £360 worse off. The TV Licence fee, which is currently mandatory for anyone who records or watches live TV, as well as people who access content on BBC iPlayer, also rose by £5 this month. Those found watching live TV or BBC iPlayer without a licence could end up with a fine of up to £1,000 (or £2,000 if you live in Guernsey). As previously reported, you technically cannot be jailed just because you haven't paid your TV Licence. However, fee dodgers do risk imprisonment for not paying fines that have been imposed by the court. Per Birmingham Live, if you're aged 74 or older and you or your partner receive Pension Credit, you can actually apply for a free TV Licence. This covers everyone who lives with you at the same address. You can apply for the subsidised fee online but will need to provide proof of your age. This can be in the form of a passport copy, UK driver's licence, UK birth certificate, or EU/EEA national identity card. You'll also need proof that you're in receipt of Pension Credit and your current TV Licence number. "If you think you're eligible for a free licence but can't apply online, please call 0300 790 6117 and speak to one of our advisors to request an application form (our lines are open between 8.30am and 6.30pm, from Monday to Friday)," TV Licensing said. "Once we've received your application it may take a few weeks to process. If there are any problems we'll write to let you know. We may also call you if you have given us your phone number." Earlier this year, it was revealed that there were a whopping 425,000 people over the age of 75 whose income levels meant they qualify for Pension Credit - who had yet applied for the benefit. The BBC later faced calls to start automatically enrolling those who are eligible for a free TV Licence - rather than making them apply for the discount. Back in February, the BBC didn't explicitly answer if it was considering such a measure. A spokesperson for TV Licensing told the Mirror: "Anyone aged 75 and over who receives Pension Credit can apply for a free TV Licence and we would urge anyone who has not yet applied to do so. In 2023/24 around 775,000 free licences for over 75s were funded by the BBC and more information about the application process can be found on the TV Licensing website or via our customer service team." Get the best deals and tips from Mirror Money WHATSAPP GROUP: Get money news and top deals straight to your phone by joining our Money WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Following a staggering £80 million drop in revenue from swathes of households cancelling their subscription, the BBC has been discussing alternative methods to fund itself. Last month, the broadcaster's chairman Samir Shah hinted the fee could become part of a household bill - like council tax. "Why should people who are poor pay the same as people in wealthy households?" he said, implying a 'sliding scale' could be soon implemented. "It gets rid of the enforcement issue, which is a problem. The idea that not paying the licence fee is a criminal offence seems too harsh." Samir quashed ideas of creating a Netflix-style subscription fee, and dismissed the concept of a hybrid licence, where Brits could pay a smaller fee for basic TV services such as the news, but would then be charged a higher amount to access content such as entertainment. It appears advertisements are also not on the table, due to the BBC wanting to stay 'independent of commercial interests'.
