Amazon Fire Stick rules as expensive mistake could land viewers in trouble

Brits who use an Amazon Fire Stick are being urged to check out the rules surrounding watching TV in the UK.

Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have exploded in popularity over the last few years - and plenty of us now use a Fire Stick to catch up with our favourite shows.

However, you could be making a potentially costly mistake when it comes to watching TV.

In the UK, to watch any live TV broadcasts residents must have a TV licence - this includes watching live TV through a streaming service such as Amazon Prime Video or BBC iPlayer as well as via TV channels and services such as ITV, Channel 4 and Sky.

And that doesn’t just mean live events such as sport and news, but also dramas, documentaries, soaps and many more - if you’re watching them as they are broadcast.

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According to the TV Licence website: “Your TV licence lets you enjoy a huge range of TV. It covers you for all TV channels, pay TV services like Sky, and live TV on streaming services like Amazon Prime Video. As well as everything on BBC iPlayer. This includes recording and downloading. On any device.

“Live TV means any programme you watch or record as it’s being shown on any channel, TV service or streaming service. It’s not just live events like football, cricket, news and music. It also covers soaps, series, documentaries and even movies.

“An online TV service is any streaming or smart TV service, website or app that lets you watch TV programmes over the internet. This includes services like Channel 4, Sky Go, Now, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and ITVX.”

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And anyone found to be watching live TV without a TV licence could be hit with a maximum fine of up to £1,000.

If you only use them to watch on-demand services - and nothing from the BBC - then you don’t need a licence.

The TV Licence site explains: “You don’t need a TV Licence if you only ever download or watch on demand or catch up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer. You also don’t need a licence to watch S4C TV on demand.

“You do need a licence to use BBC iPlayer, on any device.”

The TV licence is currently £159 for standard colour per year. It's set to go up in price in April this year and will then cost £169.50.

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