The TV landscape in the UK has undergone significant changes in recent years due to the rise of streaming and on-demand television.

Platforms such as Netflix, ITVX, YouTube, Disney Plus and others have shifted the TV content landscape from scheduled programming to on-demand viewing at the touch of a button.

From April 2024, the TV Licence fee, which funds BBC TV services and other public service functions like Welsh channel S4C, is set at £169.50 per year, or roughly £14 a month via Direct Debit.

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However, with the Cost of Living crisis causing high inflation, mortgage increases and spiralling bills, many are looking to cut costs, leading to questions about the necessity of a TV Licence.

Unfortunately, if you're a fan of Match of The Day or Strictly Come Dancing, you'll need a licence. However, there are numerous scenarios where it's legal to forego one - and this isn't just applicable to students, reports the Express.

What can you legally watch without a TV Licence?

There's a common misconception that a TV Licence is only required to watch BBC content. Many people believe they don't need to pay if they don't watch anything on the BBC.

This is a myth, and rules regarding streaming platforms were updated a few years ago. However, there are still plenty of ways to watch TV without a TV Licence.

A TV Licence becomes a legal requirement if you engage in any of the following activities:

  • watch or record TV on any channel via any TV service (such as Sky, Virgin, Freeview, Freesat)
  • watch live content on streaming services (e.g. ITVX, Channel 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now, Sky Go)
  • use BBC iPlayer at all

TV Licences are tied to the household, not individuals. This means that in a shared house, only one TV Licence is required unless each room is considered a separate address.

In essence, one shared address equals one licence, allowing a group of students living together to split the cost. However, if you reside in a self-contained flat with its own entrance within a larger house, you'll need your own Licence.

What don't you need a TV Licence for?

You don't need a TV Licence for:

  • Watching DVDs or Blurays
  • Watching Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV as long as it's NOT live content. E.g. you can watch Drive To Survive, Stranger Things, Ted Lasso or Clarkson's Farm without a TV Licence, totally legally. But if you stray over to watching a live Premier League game on that same Amazon Prime sub, you'll need a Licence.
  • As the TV Licensing says: "You need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch programmes live on any online TV service - such as ITVX, Channel 4, Amazon Prime Video, Now or Sky Go. You don’t need a TV Licence if you only ever watch on-demand programmes on any TV service apart from BBC iPlayer."
  • LIVE is not just live as in a live match, but if you watch Coronation Street as it's being broadcast 'live', you need a TV Licence. However, if you watch an ITV or Channel 4 show on catch-up later, you don't need a licence for that.

Will the TV Licence van catch me if I watch something without a Licence?

If you decide you don't need a TV licence, it's not enough to simply not purchase one. You must inform TV Licensing that you're exempt, for instance, if you're certain you will only stream content from Netflix, watch non-live YouTube videos, or play on your PS5 without watching live TV.

The so-called 'TV Licence detection vans' are considered a myth by some, but the TV Licensing website asserts: "We have a fleet of detector vans that can detect the use of TV receiving equipment at specifically targeted addresses within minutes."

It continues: "We have a database of approximately 31 million licensed and unlicensed addresses. This tells us if your address has a TV Licence. All our visiting officers have access to this database. This means they can check if you have a licence or not. If you tell us that you do not need a TV Licence, our officers may still visit you to confirm this."

So, it's advisable to get in touch with TV Licensing before they come knocking on your door.

How to cancel your TV Licence

To cancel your TV Licence, if you're certain you won't be watching live TV, visit the TV Licence website where you'll need to declare that you either don't own a TV or don't use it under any circumstances that require a TV Licence.

State pensioners aged over 74 who receive Pension Credit can also apply for a free TV Licence, effectively reducing their bill to £0.

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