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Netflix is fine. So is Amazon Prime for the most part. ITV Hub, All 4, My5 and you're probably OK.

But the second you watch or record anything from live TV or fire up iPlayer you're at risk of a £1,000 fine if you don't have a valid TV licence.

And, no, it doesn't matter that you're only using your phone or logging in through Apple TV.

What's more, the latest figures from TV Licensing show more than 26,000 Brits between the ages of 18 and 25 were caught watching live TV or BBC iPlayer without a TV Licence in the past year alone.

(Image: PA)

Worse, there is often even more confusion about who is, and isn't covered by a licence in places like student halls and flat shares.

“Every year there are myths which circulate around campus about when you do and don’t need a licence," said TV Licensing spokesman Jason Hill.

"As most students own at least one device capable of showing live TV or watching BBC iPlayer - such as a laptop, smartphone or tablet computer – it’s important they know the law around being correctly licensed."

Who actually needs a licence

If you're in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), the Channel Islands and Isle of Man it's almost always against the law to watch live TV - or download or watch shows on iPlayer - at an address that isn't licensed.

What you watch on, however, is irrelevant.

"If you’re watching live TV on any device, including mobiles and tablets, or watch catch up programmes on BBC iPlayer, you need to be covered by a TV Licence,” said Hill.

So it doesn't matter if you're using a TV, a laptop, tablet, phone, smartwatch, games console or anything else.

It also doesn't matter how the content gets to you, so Amazon Fire sticks, Chromecasts, NowTV, Roku, Apple TV, PVR, Freesat or anything else still all counts.

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They key parts to remember here are that licences apply per address, and the phrase "live TV".

That means you don’t need a licence if you only watch on demand or catch up programmes on services that aren't iPlayer - like Netflix, for example - and you also never watch live TV programmes on any channel, including on iPlayer.

There's also no need for a licence if you only watch DVDs, Blu-rays or videos.

However, you run into problems watching or recording any live broadcast - and that includes things like sports events on Amazon Prime.

The second point is it's one licence per address.

So if you're in a shared house, everyone is covered by a single licence as it's one address.

But if you're in student halls, for example, with your own lockable room then you'll need your own licence.

Now, it's not always clear what is - and isn't - counted as a single address.

The easiest way to tell is your tenancy agreement. If you have a joint tenancy agreement then you're generally all covered by a single licence. If you each have a separate tenancy agreement, then a single licence would cover the shared areas, but you'd need separate licences to watch or record live TV in your room.

A big positive about the address rule is that if anyone at the address qualifies for a discount - for example is 74 or over or has severe sight impairment - then as long as the licence is in their name you can all get covered at the discount rate.

What you get with a licence

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

A TV Licence allows you to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel, and to download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer.

It also covers you if you're in a movable caravan, boat, train or car (provided it's not your main residence).

Additionally, if you're using a battery-powered device, your home TV Licence usually covers you to use that to watch TV away from home.

That right sadly runs out if you plug it into the mains and use it to watch or record live TV or watch iPlayer.

What a TV licence costs and how to get one

A colour TV Licence currently costs £150.50 for a year. A black and white TV Licence costs £50.50.

Here's how you pay: