Students heading home for summer can pocket £36 TV licence reclaim

If you're about to leave halls of residence or privately-rented accommodation for the summer then you can get a refund on the unused quarter of your £145.50 annual TV licence fee – providing it has at least three months left on it and you're moving to a licensed address.

Check out our guide to find out more about TV licences.

Who's eligible for a refund and how do I get it?

You're only eligible for a refund if you bought your TV licence at the start of the academic year (late September/early October) and it therefore has three months remaining on it by the time you leave for the summer break. You must also be moving to a licensed address over summer.

The refund is available to any student who has already paid for their final quarter (whether annually or monthly). If you pay as you go via a quarterly payment scheme, you can cancel by the ninth month to avoid paying for the final quarter – provided the previously mentioned qualifying conditions are met.

If you're moving straight in to new digs over the summer (rather than going back to your folks' house, for instance) you won't be able to claim a refund. But you can take your existing TV licence with you by changing your address online.

You can claim a refund or change your address by visiting the TV Licensing website or calling 0300 790 6113.

Anything else happening with the TV licence that I should be aware of?

As a matter of fact there is. As of autumn 2016, viewers who watch BBC iPlayer on catch-up will have to pay for a TV licence. At the moment, online viewers only have to pay for a licence for watching live programmes.

Research by TV Licensing shows 40% of students have a tablet at university, which can stream live TV. You need a licence to stream or record live TV on any device, including games consoles and mobile phones.