<P> In the United Kingdom and the Crown dependencies, any household watching or recording live television transmissions as they are being broadcast (terrestrial, satellite, cable, or Internet) is required to hold a television licence . Businesses, hospitals, schools and a range of other organisations are also required to hold television licences to watch and record live TV broadcasts . A television licence is also required to receive video on demand programme services provided by the BBC, on the iPlayer catch - up service . </P> <P> Income from the licence is primarily used to fund the television, radio and online services of the British Broadcasting Corporation . The total income from licence fees was £ 3.7872 billion in 2016--17 of which £ 630.4 million or 16.6% was provided by the government through concessions for those over the age of 75 . Thus, the licence fee made up the bulk (76.4%) of the BBC's total income of £ 4.954 billion in 2016--2017 . </P>

Do you need a tv licence in uk