TPS wants to spread the cost of managing the service as wide as possible, so that it can be in a position to reduce the licence fee for all. In line with common direct marketing practice it has been decided to charge a Royalty Fee on lists screened, so that all those companies who are benefiting directly or indirectly from the file will contribute to the cost of managing the Service.

How much is the Fee?

£1.28 per 1000 numbers screened.

How will the Royalty Fee be collected?

You will declare the volume of numbers screened at the end of your annual licence period and submit a self assessment certificate and/or a self billing invoice with payment to TPS.

I only use the TPS file to screen my company's own data, will I have to pay a Royalty Fee?

No, the Royalty fee does not apply to cleaning your own data.

I offer a service to screen listings of third parties. Will I have to pay a Royalty Fee?

Subject to the volume of data cleaned, yes. The licence fee is in effect an advance Royalty Fee; if for example you are a Licensee paying the full licence fee of £4,640 you will only start to pay the Royalty Fee of £1.28 per 1000 numbers screened once you have screened 3,750,000 numbers.

I screen small quantities of lists for third parties. Do I have to pay the Royalty Fee?

The licence fee is in effect an advance Royalty Fee, so for instance if you are a Licensee paying the full licence fee of £4,640 you will only need to pay an additional Royalty Fee on numbers screened in excess of 3,750,000 numbers.

I use the TPS file to screen my lists which I rent to my clients. Do I have to pay the Royalty Fee on this activity?

No, you do not pay the Royalty Fee if you are screening your own lists.

Does the royalty fee apply to call centres?

Yes, if you are screening lists for your clients. If your clients are providing you with lists that have already been screened against the TPS file the royalty fee is not applicable.

I have a few major clients for whom I undertake a list screening service. The list screening activity would come to more than the cost of the annual licence for each of my clients. Do I have to pay the £1.28 per 1000 Royalty Fee?

We do not expect any of your clients to pay more than the cost of the annual licence fee. In cases such as this the royalty Fee will be capped at £4,640 per client.

I clean the same list for my clients every 28 days. Is the royalty fee payable each time?

The Royalty Fee is payable on the full list the first time it is cleaned, thereafter it is payable on additional records to the list.

My client is a Licensee to the TPS and pays £4,640. However, they do not clean their lists in-house, they use our computer bureau services. Do they have to pay royalties as well as paying a licence fee?

No, companies operating in this way will not pay more than the current licence fee - £4,640. No company will ever pay more than the full current licence fee to TPS.

I offer a list screening service via the internet or by premium rate telephone number. Does the Royalty Fee apply?

Yes, it applies after the services have screened 3,750,000 numbers. (This assumes you pay a licence fee of £4,640.)

I offer a service whereby clients' calls are automatically screened against the TPS if the number dialled is on the TPS file. Do I have to pay a Royalty Fee?

Yes, a Royalty Fee is payable equivalent to the 1.28 per 1000 fee. Contact the TPS office for further information.

Which file is the Royalty Fee calculated on, the TPS file or my client's file?

The Royalty Fee payment is based on the size of your client's file.

Should I keep evidence of the volumes of data screened?

Yes, reasonable records should be kept so you can make a declaration on the volume of data screened to TPS at the end of the year. You will be keeping records anyway for your clients so it should not be too much of an added burden.

Does the Royalty Fee apply to the FPS?

No, currently it just applies to the TPS and CTPS.