TV License

Sorry to tell you Anna, but you've got it wrong, the rules are: You need a licence to watch or record any programme (all channels) as it is being transmitted. You can watch any programme on catch up devices EXCEPT BBC programmes, without a licence. You don't need any licence for radio (even BBC).

Up until comparatively recently you could watch BBC on catch up (but not live transmissions) - without a licence. I don't know how BBC could justify getting that concession - they probably threw a hissy fit, because they were losing out on licence money (the BBC gets it all) from those of us who found a way to legally not pay a corrupt organisation who IGNORED the goings on of people such as Jimmy Savile.

I too prefer YouTube it is quite legal to watch without a licence.

davidstockport So if I don't watch live BBC shows I may as well not pay my license?

How can they catch you though?

jakemoss Not quite correct Jake - if you watch any TV as transmitted* - even by cable or broadband (not just BBC) you need a licence. They catch people by sending people to homes without licences to check. That is usually after numerous intimidatory letters. I genuinely don't need a licence and don't like being treated as a criminal.

I am going to get a licence next year (even though I don't need one) because the rules changed some years back that the government stopped paying for over 75s licences and the BBC had to fund them (that meant the BBC had to pay money that they then gave to themselves) Unfortunately the BBC have decided that they're not going to pay sometime in 2020, but it will give me a year, or possibly two years, break from having to ignore their threatening letters. I've got quite a stack of them - they try to frighten people - to try to look officicial it says at the bottom "Do not write below this line" I can't resist writing "Why not?" below that line.

*To explain very little transmitted is actually live - so repeats (although not live - can not be watched). Some people have been prosecuted because someone had said "live" instead of "as transmitted" and they thought they didn't need a licence.

davidstockport Ah, makes sence. Thank you for telling me.

It is probably true about the £1k fine (and a criminal record) that seems to be about the norm, what really annoys me is many people are duped into paying for a licence, under threat of prosecution, when they don't technically need one.

There is so much misinformation spread (some by the BBC) about who needs a licence.

Incidentally one of the biggest misconceptions is that if there is someone living in the property who is aged over 75 a licence is not required - that's not true. A licence is still required, but at the moment the licence is free. (That may possibly change in 2020).

I can't understand why anyone (especially on Latest Deals) doesn't mind paying for the privilege of watching ITV and other channels (other than BBC) when the BBC gets 100% of the money. The only "Quality" content the BBC produces doesn't need the licence payer's money. The production of that content is more than covered by sales to overseas TV companies. The BBC budget is squandered by paying exorbitant salaries to a certain few.