TV License
Other
Should we scrap it?
I hardly watch TV or BBC programmes for that matter anyway since I'm so busy with work so what is the point of this?
I get by watching YouTube and other streaming services anyway.
I agree. Most programs are streamed and available soon after the first broadcast. My friend lives in Greece and they pay tv license as part of the electricity bill, that way nobody evades it. I believe it's too easy to not pay your tv license now
It is a very unfair system. Those who watch through a sky box, those who don't particularly watch BBC and those who watch it all the time. Then there are people who hardly watch TV at all and those like me who watch all evening, every evening!
I've heard you only have to pay for a TV licence if you want to watch programmes on any BBC channel (inlcuding radio) but you don't have to pay if you watch ITV. Which is kinda unfair if true. But having to pay to watch TV channels such as BBC is the only reason I watch DVD's/Youtube.
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.
I hate paying this!!! However when I moved out my mum warned me an aunt of mine was slapped with a £1000 fine for not paying it - I’m still not sure if that was just a tale so I don’t get myself into trouble 
I don’t even watch bbc channels, I basically live off Netflix & now TV. But if I did watch live TV id happily scrap the fee and watch adverts instead so they can make revenue that way 
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 don't mind paying for a TV licence. While I don't really watch anything on BBC1 there is enough content on other TV & radio channels, iPlayer or the BBC News website to keep me happy
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.
I do not understand what we pay for....when u get SKY u need to pay for the package, including BBC.
I think they should not make people pay for their programs.
yes, it is a completely rip off - whenever I read about how much the people on TV are being paid, especially those on the BBC, I get very annoyed. There is so much rubbish on TV these days. I prefer to control my content
It pains me to pay it as my hubby watches match of the day I can't not. I think it should be a choice I prefer Netflix myself
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