Students winding down for the year and moving home for the summer may be able to claim a refund on their TV licence.

Those who bought a licence at the start of the academic year will have three full months remaining, and a refund worth £36 can be claimed for this unused quarter.

To be eligible for the refund, students need to have a TV Licence with three months remaining on it, be leaving their halls or rented accommodation and be moving to a licensed address.

The application for a refund can be done online or over the phone.

Ben Craig, from TV Licensing in London and the South East, said: “The student refund is brilliant news for students and we encourage those who bought their licence at the start of the academic year to claim the refund they’re entitled to.

"For those who aren’t moving back home for the summer, they can easily transfer their licence to their new student digs."

However, with more students than ever before equipped with gadgets that can stream live TV, the authority in charge of enforcing the TV licence has issued a warning for anyone thinking of getting away with not paying.

Recent research by TV Licensing shows two-in-five students have a tablet at university capable of streaming live TV, with a licence needed to watch, record or stream programmes at the same time as they are shown on a TV, laptop, games console, tablet, mobile phone, or any other device.

Mr Craig said: “We want to help students understand the law when it comes to watching live TV on any device so they can avoid the risk of a fine of up to £1,000.”

To find out more visit: www.tvlicensing.co.uk/studentinfo