Four in 10 people don’t know what the TV licence pays for, meaning some might find they may not need one.
At the start of the month, the TV licence fee increased from £159 a year to £169.50 in line with September 2023’s 6.7 percent inflation rate.
This marks the sixth increase in the last decade, resulting in a total price rise of £24 since 2010.
The funds generated by the TV licence fee are said to support the creation of BBC programmes and services and those who watch TV live – as well as those who stream BBC iPlayer – must pay the annual cost.
However, new data collected from FCA-regulated credit broker Viva Money found over 43 percent of UK adults don’t know what a TV licence is for.
The nationally representative survey of 2,000 people in the UK also discovered that 66 percent agree that the TV licence should be scrapped in 2027.
It’s a criminal offence to avoid paying for a TV licence if you need one, but there are certain scenarios that mean there’s no need to buy one.
When do I need a TV licence?
All households in the UK will need a TV licence if they watch or record TV programmes as they’re broadcast.
This rule encompasses all programmes on any channel, from soaps and documentaries to movies.
Even if these programmes are broadcast live on a computer, laptop, tablet or phone, rather than a TV, people must have a licence to watch them.
Additionally, households require a licence if they download or watch programmes broadcast on BBC iPlayer – live, catch up, or demand.
The licence also covers online TV services such as ITV Hub, All 4, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV or Sky Go. However, unlike with BBC iPlayer, a licence is not needed if a person only ever watches on-demand programmes on these TV services.
When don’t I need a TV licence?
If a household finds themselves only watching catch-up TV (not including BBC iPlayer), they won’t need a TV licence – as long as they’re not using the TV services to watch anything live.
Households also don’t need a TV licence to watch certain streaming services, like Netflix, YouTube or Disney+.
For those considering cancelling their TV licence, it’s crucial to ensure everyone in the same household follows the rules.
Otherwise, those found to have streamed a programme live without a licence in the UK mainland could be fined up to £1,000, while those in Guernsey could face fines of up to £2,000, and in Jersey, £500.
Some people may be able to apply for a discount on their TV licences, ranging between 50 percent and even 100 percent in some cases. Find out more about these, here.
