Fewer people watch TV than ever before – find out if you need a TV licence and how to save by cancelling

When do I need a TV licence?

It used to be that you needed a TV licence just to have a telly, but you can now get away without paying the £169.50 fee if you only watch certain channels on catch-up.

You definitely need a TV licence if you watch any ‘live’ TV programmes. A ‘live’ programme is one that you’re watching at the same time as it is broadcast on a TV channel. It doesn’t matter how you are watching it, whether through an aerial, cable, or the internet. But it does apply to every channel, even those broadcast from abroad.

Therefore, you need a licence if you’re watching a channel on a normal TV. And if you’re using a streaming service like All 4 or Amazon Prime, you’ll need a licence if you click the ‘Watch Live’ button. You’ll also need one if you record live TV on a digital recorder or even an old-fashioned VHS machine.

And if you watch anything on BBC iPlayer, whether it’s live or on catch-up, you need a TV licence for that.

How can I watch TV without a licence?

You don’t need a licence if you only ever watch programmes on demand and never watch a programme as it is broadcast. So, you can use streaming services such as Netflix, All 4 or Amazon Prime licence-free.

But a word of warning – if you don’t have a licence and click on the ‘Watch Live’ button to watch any programme as it’s broadcast, you will break the law. The same applies if you ever use BBC iPlayer to watch anything, whether live or not.

How many TV licences do I need?

Each household needs one TV licence which will cover everyone living in the property regardless of how many TVs or devices are used. But rules are slightly complicated around how households are defined:

• If you own your home, or are renting a property for your family, then that’s one household and you only need one licence.
• If you are a lodger, renting a room in someone’s home, then you’re probably covered by the householders’ licence, assuming they have one. But if you’re in a self-contained flat or annexe, then you’ll need your own licence.
• If you are in a flat-share, and each person has their own tenancy agreement, then each person needs their own licence. If there is one tenancy agreement covering everyone in the property, you only need one licence.
• If you are in a furnished rental and the landlord provided the TV equipment, then check your tenancy agreement. Unless it states that you are responsible for the TV licence, the landlord should provide it.

How much does a TV licence cost and are there any discounts?

A full-colour licence was increased to £169.50 in April this year.

Some people are entitled to a free or discounted TV licence. This includes anyone over 75 who gets pension credit or who lives with someone who gets pension credit. Anyone living in a care home, supported housing or sheltered accommodation can get a TV licence for £7.50. And if you’re registered blind or someone you live with is, you’re entitled to a 5% discount.

Alternatively, you could save by using a black-and-white TV set. A licence to use one of these is only £53.50.

Will anyone check up on me if I don’t have a licence?

You should contact TV Licensing through the website to tell them if you are no longer going to need a TV Licence. If you don’t make contact, you will receive letters from them asking you to explain why you don’t have a licence.

At any point, TV licencing could send an officer to your property to investigate whether you’re using a TV. If this happens, they can’t force entry and you don’t have to let them in. You also don’t have to prove to them that you’re not watching live TV. The onus is on them to prove you’re breaking the law.

However, if they do suspect you’re illegally watching TV, they might return with a search warrant. And anyone who does get caught, could end up with a criminal record and be fined up to £1,000.