UK households threatening to 'cancel' BBC TV licence ahead of April price rise

The terms of a TV licence volition emergence from £169.50 to £174.50 from April - astatine the aforesaid time, water, energy, assembly taxation and mobile and broadband bills are besides acceptable to spell up

UK households are threatening to cancel their TV licence up of its terms going up successful April.

The terms of a TV licence volition emergence from £169.50 to £174.50 from April 1. At the aforesaid time, water, energy, assembly taxation and mobile and broadband bills are besides acceptable to spell up - putting much strain connected struggling households. Reacting to quality that the TV licence was going up again, 1 idiosyncratic wrote connected societal media: “People tin negociate rather happily without it.

“We unrecorded successful an property of connected request entertainment. There is small request for unrecorded TV erstwhile you tin ticker catch-up (except connected iPlayer) without the request to wage the BBC tax.” A 2nd said: “Cancel your TV licence.” A 3rd commented: “Luckily my Sky declaration runs retired successful April, truthful they’ll beryllium getting my 30 days announcement successful March. Then I tin yet cancel my TV licence.”

If you ticker oregon grounds unrecorded TV, oregon you're watching thing connected BBC iPlayer, adjacent if it is on-demand, past you'll request to person a TV licence. This applies whether you're watching connected a TV, laptop, computer, tablet oregon phone. But if you don't ticker immoderate unrecorded TV oregon BBC iPlayer, past don't request to wage for a TV licence.

This means if you lone ticker shows connected catch-up utilizing streaming services that aren't BBC iPlayer - specified arsenic Netflix, Amazon Prime, ITVX, Disney Plus, YouTube, All 4 oregon My5 - past you don't request a TV licence. If you’re tuning into unrecorded shows done these services, past you would request a TV licence.

If you're caught watching TV programmes that necessitate a TV licence, past you could beryllium fined up to £1,000. The maximum good is £2,000 successful Guernsey, positive immoderate ineligible costs oregon compensation you whitethorn beryllium ordered to pay. A connection connected the TV Licensing website reads: "We could sojourn your code to corroborate if you request a TV licence. If we find that you person been watching, signaling oregon streaming programmes illegally, you hazard prosecution and a good for not having a TV licence of up to £1,000 positive immoderate ineligible costs and/or compensation you whitethorn beryllium ordered to pay."

Are you eligible for escaped oregon inexpensive TV licence?

Over-75 and claiming Pension Credit: People aged implicit 75 who are claiming Pension Credit tin get a escaped TV licence.

Students surviving distant from home: Students who are surviving distant from location whitethorn besides beryllium covered if their parents person a TV licence, but lone if they're watching TV connected a instrumentality that isn't plugged into the mains, specified arsenic a phone, tablet oregon laptop.

People who are unsighted oregon severely sight-impaired: If idiosyncratic successful your household is unsighted oregon severely sight-impaired, you'll get 50% disconnected the outgo of your TV licence.

Residential attraction oregon sheltered accommodation: If you unrecorded successful residential attraction oregon sheltered accommodation, you whitethorn beryllium capable to use for a concessionary TV licence which costs £7.50 per room, level oregon bungalow.