I remember being baffled as a ’00s kid when, in an attempt to gain some playground kudos, a friend’s mum bragged about not having a TV.
Thankfully, I don’t think such a show of supposed piety would stand now ― not just because, in a time of imposed penny-pinching, fewer of us take pride in self-flagellating feats, but also because many of us don’t watch telly on, or for, the telly.
Last year, Ofcom reported that less than half of young people tuned into live TV. Broadcast is still king among older generations ― but they’re increasingly being lost to streamers like Netflix, and even video sites like YouTube and TikTok.
So, if you usually only tune into paid subscription sites like Prime Video or Disney+, what should you do about paying your TV licence? Do you need to at all?
Here are the rules
Per the government’s site, you need a TV licence “to watch or record programmes on a TV, computer or other device as they’re broadcast, and to watch on-demand BBC programmes on iPlayer.”
That means that viewing broadcast shows like The Traitors (BBC) or any other broadcast show requires a TV licence ― even if you’re not watching it live and only catching up on your laptop.
The government says that you do not need a TV licence to watch:
- streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus
- on-demand TV through services like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video
- videos on websites like YouTube
- videos or DVDs.
TV Licensing’s site says you do need a licence to watch live TV programmes on sites like YouTube, however. You don’t need a licence if:
- you don’t watch on any TV channel, like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U&Dave and international channels, and
- you don’t watch TV on a pay TV service, like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV, and
- you don’t watch live TV on streaming services, like YouTube and Amazon Prime Video, and
- you don’t use BBC iPlayer, they say.
Surprisingly to me, at least, you’ll need your own TV licence if you don’t have a joint tenancy with your flatmates and watch telly in your own room.
This doesn’t apply if you watch TV in a shared space or have a joint tenancy.
“If you’re living in university accommodation you’ll need a TV Licence to watch TV in your own room,” they add, though TVs in shared spaces don’t count.
You’ll be able to extend your uni TV licence to other places outside of term time provided you use a battery-powered device that’s neither plugged in nor connected to an aerial.
How much is a TV licence?
It’s £169.50 for a colour TV per year and £57 for black and white sets. This is the same for businesses and homes.
The government adds that “If you’re 75 or over and you get Pension Credit, you can get a free TV licence.”
Additionally “If you’re blind or in residential care, you can get a discounted TV licence.”