Did you know: The UK TV tax, and TV Detector Vans
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This is not a joke, and I ask our UK readers to verify. Did you know that in the United Kingdom, citizens must pay a licence if they own a television set? That’s right, a TV tax.
Can you imagine that? As Americans, the whole idea of an yearly tax to own a television is insane – our cable rates are already to high.
How do they get away with this? In the UK, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a government agency that has the power to tax and enforce laws – and boom there is a TV tax (that is £116 a year or $192)
But this is not the real story. Did you know that the BBC has vans built to scan and audit all the TV’s in the country?
How do the detector vans work? According to the TVLicensing website, these vans have a range of detection tools developed in secrecy to knew exactly the amount of TV’s in your home.
Wow, TV Detectors, CCTV, wire tapping, and Google – can somebody say big brother?
we already pay a tax to buy the tv, and we pay taxs on any pay service (cable, directTV).
Seems they could get around the TV thing by just setting up a sling box and computer with a flat panel.
Yeah, but everything the BBC puts out is commercial free. It’s like PBS, except there’s laws to ensure everyone contributes for the public good. I’d pay $20 a month for commercial free broadcast TV. Wouldn’t you?
The good old progressive agenda at work! We’ll get our TV tax soon enough. Let’s say 20 years? We all know governments will only continue to give themselves more power and become more oppressive to their citizens with time.
Roy – but that is a YEARLY tax, and don’t the detector van kinda scare you a bit? And there are rumors that the TV tax, would now be a “Display Tax” to cover computers.
TV is a privelage , not a right.
Lovin’ I’d say much sooner than 20 years.
Okay, am I the only one that ’s freakin out here? I mean, every single day, 1984 becomes closer and closer to a reality. (and i’m talkin not only about the US, but with the UK and every other super power) I mean, fucking wire tapping, just the article yesterday about the fbi seazing a sight for pointing out a security flaw, the government lying to people, fucking London is covered with fucking video cameras! God damned- mother fucking VIDEO CAMERAS! And people are just fine iwth this shit. People are lapping it up with the mistaken idea that it’s bringing them safety. This is evil. THe world has gone mad. Frankly, I’m getting the shit scared outta me every time I read the god damned paper. What’s wrong with this picture??
How long do you think it will be before the thought police come ’round.
Cynic you’re right TV is a privilege but its a privilege givin to you by your parents when you’re 10 not the government. Its rediculous of the government to tax individual ownership of tv’s unless the cable system in the UK is owned by the government then they can charge whatever they want for the service. Otherwise.. this is really freakin creepy
Hey Cynic…
Nobody said TV is a right.
And guess what Joe…
You may happily pay $20 per month for the BBC, but I wouldn’t. That’s the problem with liberals, they think everyone else agrees with them. The point of capitalism is that if the BBC is really worth $20 a month, then I will pay that $20 a month to get it. If I don’t want to pay for it, I don’t get it. Liberals love to force taxes so that everyone has to pay for their grand ideas, whether they agree or not.
LOL detector vans, they must be operated by the same people who are standing next to the road waiting to give you a speeding ticket, a detector van operator now here is a job to proud of. I seriously think that the world get crazier and crazier every day. Something crazy like this must be true.
THe TV Detector vans area scam to encorage people to pay for the license (it’s not a tax as such).. even if you don’t watch the BBC channels you still have to buy one. quite a qhile back the BBC tried to get government to push through a requirement to have a license for EVERY tv int he house rather than just one for the household – luckly this never got through.
Typically what happens, the “BBC” go out in vans and visit households without a TV license, as its more than likely that they do have a TV (sort of hit & miss – bully tacticks).. Also if you buy a new TV the shop lets the BBC know that you’ve bought a TV, so they check their records again…
You dont HAVE to have a license, you only pay to see 2 channels BBC1 and BBC2. we have 5 standard channels so you can watch the ones with commercials for free. The vans are equipped with a meter to pull readings from what your aerials pulling in
Big Brother? TV tax? can you be a little more hysterical?? This has been around since the start of the BBC in some shape or form.
The BBC has to be paid for. How much do you pay a month for your satellite or cable TV?
There are at umpteen radio channels, two mainstream channels (plus all the extra digital stuff in recent years), a good on-line presence, etc., etc. TV in the UK wasn’t commercial until the 1950s when ITV was born. Until then, all you had was the BBC. And it’s paid for with a TV license. Simple as that.
As for “cable”, that’s an entirely commercial thing in the UK: the government doesn’t own it.
Oops, forgot to post this. Tells you more:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/licencefee/
Re Lovin’ Capitalism’s comments, I know what you mean. But the BBC is broadcast over the air, free as you like.
yeah cheeseheads, there an NO advertisments on the BBC. Not like in america when you watch a movie and in the last 15 minutes of a film they have ad breaks every few minute, spoiling the whole film.
And besides TV, the BBC offers many other services, and it’s all payed for by the licence.
We have to pay for SKY TV too, but that’s certainly not ad free.
I’ve never understood why American’s are so surprised or upset about this? Lets take an analogy, a bad one perhaps,
“Hey, do you know when you’re in American shops the prices on the stickers isn’t the real price! They charge you more when you get to the till, it’s unbelievable! Imagine not showing the price including tax on the sticker when you’re buying a product. That’s anti-consumer, it makes it hard to work out what you’re actually going to pay. How horrible!”
get the idea? It’s all cultural. Like most Brits, I’m happy to pay my TV license if it means we can have the BBC. I’ve spent a lot of time in the States, I know what would happen if we didn’t have the BBC…
I don’t care that much about the tax. I am used to taxation. It is the vans that freak me out.
Same here in Germany. Starting 2007 we even have to pay for computers connected to the internet or mobile phones able to connect to the Internet as the consumer possibly watched TV online or via his mobile phone. $250 a year covering all.
Way to go with the up-to-the-minute news, Dan.
Considering the quality of the programming on BBC TV and radio is consistently amongst best available, if not *the* best (IMHO), I’m really happy to contribute to the BBC this way. The moment “Aunty Beeb” stops giving value for money, that money’s going to be taken away from them. They know it, and the system works.
Also — “because of the unique way the BBC is funded” — the BBC has helped bring us technical leaps such as:
- PAL colour (when the US had the awful NTSC standard)
- 576 line TV (when the US had 480)
- digital stereo TV sound (when the US was doing analog)
- RDS data over FM radio (which the US grudgingly picked up in half-hearted way recently)
- an open DAB digital radio standard (when the US was doing closed, incompatible digital radio)
- DVB-T digital television at no extra charge, using robust COFDM (while the US mess about with the quite dreadful 8-VSB)
- 16:9 widescreen TV broadcasts (when the US was still bickering about HD)
- the vast majority of the population have access to 20-30 TV channels free of charge, from a relatively small antenna, which doesn’t need to be rotated, ever (while in the US, TV antennae are butt-ugly and often need to be pointed at several different transmitters)
Detector vans are rare anyway — they’re only used to gather evidence for prosecution. If your household doesn’t have a license, you’ll be “invited” to buy one. If you don’t get one, it’s up to TV Licensing to prove that you’re breaking the law.
BTW, @Kevin, you *do* need a license to watch any TV channel, not just BBC channels.
The TV licence vans have special antennas that are supposed to be able to hear the hum of the CRT in your TV, how they can tell the difference between that and a computer monitor is anyone’s guess. I’ve had a TV for years and have never bought a licence, and I’ve not had any problems because I don’t watch the parade of crap and Eastenders that is UK terrestrial TV. I just use it for DVDs.
It’s not just the UK though, in Zimbabwe they didn’t have vans when I was growing up. A dodgy plainclothes `licence inspector` can show up at any household and you’re obliged to let him poke around your house looking for a TV you might have hidden somewhere that you’re not paying for. Like watching ZBC is such a huge privilege.
Yes, we have a licence fee that anyone owning a tv has to pay. The money collected funds the BBC, not only its television services (two terrestrial channels, several digital channels), its radio services (five analogue stations, extra digital stations) and its online presence.
However, the BBC is categorically NOT a government agency. Its is totally independent of the government, and in fact most governments regard it as an anti-establishment organisation, often accusing its news output as being biased against the goverment of the day.
I believe that the authority responsible for collecting the licence fee actually use a comprehensive database of households to check on those who do not have a licence. The find for watching television without a licence can be up to £1000.
yes, its all ‘the liberals’ fault.
I hate to break it to you, but labels like ‘the liberals’ and ‘conservatives’ are nothing but chains of slavery to those who continue to use them to blame the other side. Its what keeps the powers-that-be in power, and believe me, they are laughing all the way to the bank.
But by all means, go on, continue blaming ‘the liberals’ for what you see as the world’s problems. Its easier than being part of the solution, and in fact its far more entertaining to watch than the BBC could ever be. In fact, I vote conservative every election for no other reason than just to prolong the argument, and hence my own entertainment.
to Alasdair Allan -
You are so right. It is absolutely insane that tax isn’t included in the price tag on items in our stores. Its funny because whenever I buy something in the EU or in duty free, I balk at the price because I’m so used to adding that 6% in my head on top of the marked price.
Diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks I guess.
I’m the same as Richie above, and most people in the UK are glad of the great serivce that the BBC puts out.
Its a bit of an institution, and you don’t need a licence if you can prove you don’t watch any of the BBC channels. like proving your TV is not tuned to them.
I know many people in the UK who have a TV but only use it for DVD’s and they don’t have to have a licence.
So the detector vans are to check if you are picking up a BBC channel on a TV that does not have a licence.
Once again the quality of the presenters and prgrams can’t be under estimated. Especially the news as it’s not dumbed down also the politics shows which hit hard at the politicans.
Also because of the way the BBC is funded (tax payers money) its answerable to the public as its a public body.
z
Well, I think many other Brits would agree with me in saying £20 a year for ad-free TV is a far better deal than US style cable.
I would say that that is in every country where there are not-private channels.
In Germany we have the GEZ for that… *bitches*
We are happy to pay because the BBC produce several commercial free TV and radio channels. Both their TV and Radio stations produce some amazing programmes which a private/commercial TV company could never achieve. For example long term projects like “Planet Earth” (commercial TV cannot risk putting money into these long term projects as they are after all running a business).
Also the BBC has one of the best news websites (again ad free).
(on a side note i’m happy with cctv – I am not being watched, they are watching the public not stalking individuals. Also the number of cases solved by cctv is making Britain safer)
20 pounds!? Are you fucking serious? People are making it sound like its hundreds or thousands per year!
Why does anybody even bother trying to dodge it if its only 20 pounds? Even if its per tv and you have like 5 tvs, that’s still basically nothing.
That all depends on where your located in the UK, where I am its like £136 I think or around that figure which is like what $250? Its still not so bad, im not complaining, but just wanted to get that across
It isn’t the amount of the price that matters, it’s the compulsion. Also, the BBC harasses people who do not watch TV. But avoiding them is not so hard. See this: http://www.bbctvlicence.com
i download a lot of the bbc shows here in the us, as i cant get the full non commerical versions here (spooks & hustle). i would gladly pay a yearly fee for that kind of quality shows.
“However, the BBC is categorically NOT a government agency. Its is totally independent of the government”
Of course it’s not ” totally independent of the government”. It’s funding levels and executive official appointments are decided by the government. It’s reaction to the ’sexing up’ charges was complete capitulation to its real bosses.
Don’t believe its quality is unsurpassed. Most of its TV output is patronizing rubbish.
alot of your replys are confusing and inaccurate.I live in the uk and here is the truth.
1 – if you have a tv and is connected to recieve a broadcasting channel you need a licence no matter what channel you are recieving…….it is as asimple as that!!!!!
2- reason – bbc has no commercila adverts.
3 – bbc must answerable for the quality of its programs to the public (it needs to produce quality programs to justify tv licencing price increases).
4 – price for a 12 month licence is £131.50 (£1 = $1.83)
5 – You only pay for one licence per a household NOT PER A TV.
It is about #131 for a colour and #44 for a black and white television licence. The BBC does not have the right to levy fees or taxes on television viewers but have a mandate from the governement to be paid fees.The fees are collected by the TV Licensing Authority who have a database of every person in a UK household (EOE).
If you buy a new television from the shop, they are required to register it and the Licensing authority sends you a demand for License payment. You cannot buy one without giving your name and address for registration. It is also a criminal offense if the shop does not notify the TV Licensing authority of your details within 28 days. If you are registered blind you will only have to pay half price, fat lot a good that is….
More on the License itself. The colour license not only has to be paid for a television. It must also be paid if you own a DVD player, a DVD recorder, a satellite receiver (or even just a satellite dish), a video player or a PC receiver card, but you only have to pay once. One license covers all devices in the household. If you own any of these devices regardless of if it is functional or not, it is an automatic requirement to purchase a colour license. Even if you do not have a television in the house but own one of the devices… you still have to pay the full price as if you had a colour tele. you can’t use the excuse that the device is not functional either, the law says”as long as the device is able to receive colour television signals.
You have to renew the license once every year.
If you move to another residence you have to have the registration changed otherwise it is completely invalid even if you just bought it yesterday. If the EVIL investigators come and detect you are using a television and you do not want to show them your license or cannot find it, it’s off to court with you. It’s just the same to them if you do not have one or cannot find it. upon conviction from the Magistrates Court you will have to pay #1000
The periodically come around with detection vans which are pretty accurate unless you run a lot of computers.I found that Sun 2 workstations cause a tremendous amount of interference with their vans even though they are operating within their allowed frequency emission ranges. Moreover, it is a criminal offence to watch a television in your home without a license for it.
Oh, and the Police have direct access to their database and are able to grab what-ever private information they want from it.
I am sure one day these Tv linceses will become outdated and a new system will come in place. But for now the BBC is a “apolitical” corporation that is used throught the world as a source of relable news. It doesnt have advert breaks every 5 minutes, and the BBC is at the forefront of the british media, creating some of the best programs radioshows etc. To say its another movement towards a Big Brother culture is slightly untrue because Tv licensing started around 1946 when it was combined with the Radio lincense which was introduced in 1922 when radio started.
Also as a person who pays their tv lincense ( which you need to watch any television, not jsut the BBCs output) i am happy that they try to make sure anyone who is watching tv is paying one. If there was no tactics to make sure people would pay, far less people would. Which would kill off the BBC and also would leave a massive hole in the British media.
I’m not a great fan of the ‘idiot box’ but i own a t.v, only to watch DVD’s and play my games console every once in a while, even though i have no aerial i am still constantly harrased and looked at as a criminal by the TVL. Ontop of that, some east-end looking thug can turn up on my doorstep anytime of the day/night and demand to be let into the house and have a look around. Surely this is not legal.
As i live with 7 other people he would have to constantly come round playing a hit and miss game with the house because its rare to find everyone is in the house all together. This means more intimidating letters.
So if i do let him in where does it stop, is he allowed to look into my wardrobe, my car boot, our garage??
And when he does turn up can he stick in an areial he probably carrys with him into my T.V do a quick tune up and say ”there you go, you just watched abit of t.v”
For real law abiding citizens, it is a worry, especially for women who live alone and elderly people.
The Rules are not clear!!!
DANNY.
I would advise you to take a look at http://www.magic1170.com/tvl.htm
and the links from that page. It should answer some of your questions.
Also download the PDF File, VERY interesting.
in Germany and Switzerland, you also have to do this. The Taxes are been set up to fund the non-advertise-financed television and radio stations that are maintained to inform the public with reliable and more or less secured information, news and (cleaner) entertainment.
you could always do a sort of boston TV party thing its worked in the past……
£2,500,000,000 (US $4,000,000,000) BBC tax is paid by 30m tv owners in the UK. Hundreds of other media outlets compete without annual government controlled BBC tax and subsidies. There is nothings special about the BBC which is nothing more than a UK government mouth-organ, racist and excludes visible ethnic minorities from top key decision making processes. The illogical BBC tax must be abolished, and the BBC privatised. Just like hundreds of commercial tv channels, radio stations and the print media, BBC must be made to earn from ad-spend in the real world. Commercial media outlets must not be fear BBC claims of losing ad-spend and marketshare.
Here in Australia we Don’t pay any TV tax to watch any free to air, We recieve the ABC1, ABC2, ABC3 in Digital Quality for Free. If the government tried to introduce a tax such as this there would be anarchy. I can recieve around 30 free to air digital channels where I am, and they are introducing another 15 (about time), I think it is crazy you need to pay a tax to watch free to air, and that the retailer will pass your details on when you buy a new set, You may defend this if you are used to it, and you may agreee to this money runnig the BBC, but there should be another way of funding this. In AUS the ABC is funded by the government and indirectly by our taxes, which I don’t have a problem as they produce some very good programs, We have free Radio / TV (ABC1, 2, 3, Triple J) stations which cover the entire country, Although I would object to paying another tax on top specifically for this. It is interesting that our Pay TV has commercials on it, this is crazy as you pay to NOT see these, this is partly why Pay TV takeup has been very poor in AUS.