The upcoming hike in the TV licence fee from this April has led many UK residents to contemplate axing their licence payments and turning their backs on the BBC’s offerings. At present, owners of a standard colour TV licence are shelling out an annual fee of £169.50, which is poised to go up by a fiver starting April 1.
However, Money Saving Guru Martin Lewis is of the opinion that some may be forking out for the licence needlessly as he encourages Brits to consider cancelling for potential savings. The government’s stance mandates a TV licence for those who watch or record live broadcasts on any BBC channel or stream via BBC iPlayer.
On the flip side, licences aren’t required if viewers exclusively use on-demand streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, or opt for channels such as All4, Channel 4 and ITVX. Eligibility for a gratis or reduced-price licence could come into play if you’re over the age of 75 with Pension Credit, are legally blind, or reside in a care home.
Those who watch BBC channels without a licence can face prosecution plus a fine of up to £1,000 (up to £2,000 if you live in Guernsey). Sharing his advice, Martin urges people to check whether they could be entitled to a refund:
- If you’re moving in with someone who already has a TV licence or moving somewhere where you won’t watch ‘live TV’ or use BBC iPlayer
- If you’re moving abroad
- If you’re 75 or over and receiving Pension Credit (or living with someone who is)
- If you’re moving into a care home
- If the TV licence holder has died, a refund may be due to the estate
- If you have two licences for the same address
- If you have a licence, but will not watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV or use BBC iPlayer before your licence expires
- If you’ve changed the type of licence to a cheaper one, such as a black-and-white licence, you may be due a partial refund
You can apply for a refund up to two years after the expiry date of your licence. Commenting on the topic, one Reddit user said: “I’m happy paying my licence just for the radio. Don’t watch the telly much but the radio with no ads is 100% worth it for me.”
Another user added: “Pretty sure the only thing I use it for is FA cup matches lol. Might just cancel it and watch at the pub instead. Pints are expensive these days but a d*mn sign cheaper than p***** money up the wall on unoriginal terrestrial TV cr*p.”
A third user said: “Just as a thought experiment, if everyone stopped paying the license fee and the BBC are forced to adopt a commercial model, or worse still, end up being sold off to a private media conglomerate, what would happen to public broadcasting in this country?”