Employers will need to buy a TV licence if they allow staff to watch the Olympics at work this summer, the TV Licensing body has warned.
A recent survey by telecoms watchdog, Ofcom, found that more than a quarter of working adults in the UK – or 38 million – plan to tune in to more than 2,500 hours of Games TV coverage during the event, much of which will be broadcast during working hours..
If employees use devices such as mobile phones or laptops plugged into the mains at work to watch live streaming of sports events, news channels or press conferences , their workplace will need to have a licence, however.
But it will not be necessary to purchase one if staff use catch-up services such as the BBC’s iPlayer or ITV Player as they are not subject to licence requirements.
Most employers will only need one licence per premises, but because it depends on the type of business and how it operates, TV Licensing has produced a guide to clarify the situation.
The organisation also plans to send enquiry officers to visit work premises during the summer to see if they are properly licensed, however, and any organisation found to be in breach risks prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000 per offence, plus costs.
