Do You Still Have a BBC TV Licence?
In the News
Half a million homes have ditched their TV licence in favour of alternative media claims Essex Live. Do you still have one, do you receive yours free or discounted? What is your favourite alternative to BBC TV licence using?
I do but I’m not entirely sure we need it, just the letters and stuff can be quite scary 
I only ever watch Netflix or Amazon prime but it’s only a small fee anyway it’s whatever 
HannahSunderlan That's one way they try to keep people signed up for the TVL.
Me? Nope. I canceled it in 2019 and have not bothered with them since then, they did send a letter about a year or so ago to "renew your cancellation" and it went straight to the trash bin.
It's canceled, it's over.
HannahSunderlan there are many YouTube videos about to have a licence or not. One is by a barrister, do a search. I am teetering I must admit. I watch all channels through sky so I get annoyed that I am, if you think about it, paying twice like lots of other people.
We only watch casualty on BBC and thats streamed so hate having to pay. Most what we watch is amazon prime
EmmaWright762 we will be watching that tonight probably not live though as we don't have an aerial
I do. I still watch BBC channels and sometimes live tv. Other than that just itv, channel 4 and 5 then freeview channels as we don’t pay for any subscriptions.
Yes I still have 1 cos keep seeing and hearing that you need if you stream stuff or if your tv is capable of broadcasting BBC then you have to pay. I suppose that’s incase you watch even a 1 off programme on it. If I could find a way of disabling BBC channels I’d do away with the licence. I just don’t want to be 1 that ends up in court for non payment- with my luck that’s what would happen
chele44 I feel exactly the same as you. They make it so hard with the rules for having a license or not, I just pay for one because I don’t want to pay the fine or the embarrassment of being in the local paper for non payment!! 
It does annoy me though that they make us pay when I don’t even watch/view anything to do either BBC! I think BBC services should be subscription only so people have the choice if they want it or not. Not be forced to pay or rather bullied into paying! X
I do have one but i dont think i will bother renewing, don’t really watch live tv so no point for me
It isn't just BBC that needs a tv licence though, I do have it though as do like scrolling the iplayer every now and then also when the footie on BBC
Kitty10 You will find guidance on what to do and what you can and cannot watch on Youtube
A TV Licence covers you to:
Watch live or record TV on any channel on any TV service (like Sky, Virgin Media and Freeview).
Watch live on streaming services (like ITVX, All 4, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video).
Use BBC iPlayer*
This applies to any device, including a TV, computer, laptop, phone, tablet, games console or digital box.
If you’re not watching, streaming or recording TV in any of the above ways –
or your property is empty – please let us know (meaning if you're not doing any of the above, you don't need a licence)
We are seriously thinking of getting rid of ours. We definitely will when we move. To be honest we don’t watch a lot of tv.
PhilipMarc Thanks for that. I usually watch Netflix if anything. Enjoying Monk at the moment. If we abroad I won’t have to deal with the BBC. What a mess that company has become.
eyeballkerry We are hoping to retire to Northern Italy, but that will be a few years yet. You are 100% right when you say the BBC is now a mess. I remember Monk I used to love those programmes shall be having a looksie on Netflix for that this week. Thanks for the reminder 
EmmaWright762 I don’t usually enjoy murder mystery dramas but really enjoy Monk. I like the fact that sometimes you know who had done it and other times you try to work out who did it.
Yes we still have our tv license and we won't be getting rid of it. We watch our TV a lot and use it for lots of different channels and streaming services.
Source: www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one
Do I watch/use those services? No.
And they can take a hike with the threat of scaring people into forcing people to pay even if it's not needed.
I've not had a TV licence for about 7 years now I think. I'm not a fan of the BBC at all, its grossly inefficient and I don't like its political stance which is left of centre. Also back in 2017 7% percent of the licence fee was to pay for their pension deficit for pensions they should never have received which were far too generous and above industry levels for many of their staff. BBC revenue has fallen and this pension shortfall is a fixed cost per year so can only imagine its a lot more than 7% now. I have no interest in funding this pension deficit.
However my mother has a free TV license so I watch any BBC stuff I want to watch there. However in recent times all I've watched is a few 'Impossible' episodes and 'the wheel'. However I've also seen a little bit of Wimbledon and the Olympics while there but I'm not that interested in that.
TV isn't super important to me. I watch youtube and some streaming services but mainly watch older material I have on a NAS drive which are DVD rips mostly.
It's about £170 a year now so £1700 over ten years. It's significant money. If you like the BBC then fair enough pay for it but I really think its unfair that people without a TV licence can't watch live channels funded by advertising. Those channels lose out on advertising revenue because homes don't have a TV licence. It's quite possible another half a million homes will give up their TV licence this year and the same again the year after. The BBC revenue is shrinking fast and this damages advertising funded channels too.
iplayer should move to a subscription model and live BBC channels should have advertising. It's getting to a point where only a minority of people have an interest in the BBC and its typically older people that like the BBC and younger people who aren't interested so its only going one way. A typical BBC production is grossly overpriced and uncompetitive.
BonzoBanana Good for you Bonzo, I gave my TV away to a neighbour just after lockdown due to the increase in electricity prices and not wanting to give the TV license people any excuse to be knocking on my door when I stopped my tv licence. I only watch itvx (not live) and netflix since I got married (he already had netflix). 
Yes for now, but really considering not renewing when it ends, all the cover ups from the BBC doesn't sit well with me, and paying them while suspended is sickening
We don’t watch BBC or iPlayer or go on any BBC websites etc in our house. I did stop paying about 6 months ago but then the ‘letters’ started so I got worried and set it up again. We only use the telly’s in our house for Netflix, Prime, paramount plus and YouTube.
Sarahjb76 If they are the only channels you watch you are paying the BBC TV licence for no other reason than to not receive nasty letters.
EmmaWright762 It’s so confusing 
One minute I think I need it to watch these things and another I think I don’t. As you say though, I think I am just paying it to avoid any letters! 
X
I do, but wish I didn't, it's about £46 per quarter I could have in my purse! Tv is so dire these days you'd have to subscribe to everything in order to watch anything worthwhile. I don't want to cancel as I know I would inadvertently watch something I shouldn't and get caught!
Lynibis That's how l felt at first although getting rid of my TV altogether helped in exchange for watching stuff on my laptop instead. Then l had a list as to what I could and couldn't watch nearby until l became used to it.
EmmaWright762 that's a good idea I will google and find out all the things I mustn't watch. I might even get rid of Sky as I rarely watch anything on there anyway.
Lynibis Just disconnect the aerial and satellite connection and use streaming services. Yes there are some live channels over the internet but don't use them. If you make a single mistake and watch by mistake you won't automatically be caught. You can watch live videos on youtube but only for minor channels which aren't professional channels. I.e. if a youtuber does a live video which is not broadcast on satelite or aerial that is ok. As far as I understand it if you watch BBC programs on foreign channels using a VPN that is not illegal if streamed. It is against the channels terms and conditions and not illegal. The BBC has advertising funded channels that are streamable and show BBC programs in the UK like the 'U' channels and they are legal to watch without a TV licence.
I've been watching the old 70s BBC scifi show on youtube 'Survivors' and it maybe a pirate source but its on youtube and streamed and I watch it without a TV licence. This is an issue between the BBC and Youtube and not my concern.
In Greece there is a TV licence component added into your electricity bill, the more you use the more you pay. it's only pennies but everybody pays it, it seems a fairer way to police it.
Auntielettie It's not actually fairer if a large percentage of the population have no interest in those channels. Yes we should be taxed for essential services even if we don't use them like the fire brigade but no we shouldn't be compulsory taxed for TV entertainment.
Sarahjb76 hermionegranger Yes! Is this a competition or a giveaway regardless of entry as I would like £200 too!
No! We never watch live tv and don't even have aerials plugged in to the TVs. We have an extensive collection of dvd's which we never get tired of.
Personally, I think all BBC services should be subscription based. At least then those who want it can pay for it and those that don’t won’t get it and won’t have to pay. 
I find it completely absurd that TV watchers have to pay the BBC to watch ANY station! That's not fair at all.
I only stream and have disconnected the aerial, although I've never heard of anyone getting a fine because they are watching iplayer 
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