TV license

[Glass ankles]

Recently cancelled my TV license - no doubt I'll be getting plenty of comms from TV licensing to try and pressure/guilt trip me back in to renewing.

The fact is my TV habits, similar to a lot of people, have changed a lot over the last 2-3 years. I never watch live TV anymore. If I want to watch a game, I'll go to it or watch in the pub.

My money is now spent on catch-up services like Netflix and Amazon. It's not that I'm bothered with saving the £150 a year (although saying that it is a couple of food shops), it's more the principle I refuse to pay for something I don't use.

Also worth noting I have 3 kids all below 10. None of them watch live TV, ever.

Anyone else cancelled, is thinking of cancelling or will never likely cancel?

I read some 860k TV licenses were cancelled between 2017-18... there's been talks about scrapping the free license for OAPs after introducing it - assume to recoup money. Is the license on its way out?

 

[Deleted at request of member 4337]

Thinking of it i never watch live tv so it's a waste of money

 

[Bilston paul]

Recently cancelled my TV license - no doubt I'll be getting plenty of comms from TV licensing to try and pressure/guilt trip me back in to renewing.

The fact is my TV habits, similar to a lot of people, have changed a lot over the last 2-3 years. I never watch live TV anymore. If I want to watch a game, I'll go to it or watch in the pub.

My money is now spent on catch-up services like Netflix and Amazon. It's not that I'm bothered with saving the £150 a year (although saying that it is a couple of food shops), it's more the principle I refuse to pay for something I don't use.

Also worth noting I have 3 kids all below 10. None of them watch live TV, ever.

Anyone else cancelled, is thinking of cancelling or will never likely cancel?

I read some 860k TV licenses were cancelled between 2017-18... there's been talks about scrapping the free license for OAPs after introducing it - assume to recoup money. Is the license on its way out?

I always thought that if you have a TV you had to have a licence. ? I hardly ever watch BBC but was under the impression you had to have one. I stand to be corrected but that what I was always led to believe. I fork out for sky and BT sports ( just under £100 a month). I just watch mainly sport on TV love my cricket ( sky). Ligue 1 and bundersliga ( BT sports). Don't really bother with any other channel. So can I bin off the license fee.?

 

[Glass ankles]

I always thought that if you have a TV you had to have a licence. ? I hardly ever watch BBC but was under the impression you had to have one. I stand to be corrected but that what I was always led to believe. I fork out for sky and BT sports ( just under £100 a month). I just watch mainly sport on TV love my cricket ( sky). Ligue 1 and bundersliga ( BT sports). Don't really bother with any other channel. So can I bin off the license fee.?

Afraid not. If you watch live TV and have things like Sky - you need a license.
If your TV is just used for games console and/or catch-up TV like Netflix/Amazon - you don't need one.

 

[JadeWolf]

Don’t you have to have one by law?!

 

[Glass ankles]

Don’t you have to have one by law?!

Nope

 

[Pagey]

Don’t you have to have one by law?!

Only if you watch/record live tv and/or bbc catch up, i believe. The tv license website will confirm under what circumstances you need one.

 

[Deleted at request of member 4337]

Bit of clarity here
Legal framework - TV Licensing ™

 

[Glass ankles]

How can I legally avoid paying a TV licence fee?

 

[topcat99]

I haven’t had one for about 5 years. They send a threatening letter about 4 times a year, which I bin.

They have no right to be on your property without a search warrant

I do have the advantage of having a bit of land so I can tell callers to sod off at a gate out of site of the house.

But IF anyone calls, just tell them to go away and refuse access. They may try bullying tactics.

 

[Glass ankles]

I haven’t had one for about 5 years. They send a threatening letter about 4 times a year, which I bin.

They have no right to be on your property without a search warrant

I do have the advantage of having a bit of land so I can tell callers to sod off at a gate out of site of the house.

But IF anyone calls, just tell them to go away and refuse access. They may try bullying tactics.

They attempted to come around in those 5 years?

 

[Glass ankles]

They've scrapped the free license for over 75's.

 

[Frank Lincoln]

They've scrapped the free license for over 75's.

Except for those receiving pension credit.

 

[Pagey]

Havent had one for about 3 years, ignored all correspondence as i dont know why i have to answer to them.
Had a chap knock door about 12 months ago asking me questions, so i politely told him go away, he reeled out a load of threats, about getting a warrant and coming back.

Last week a lady knocked asking me about my viewing habits etc, i asked her where she lived and her viewing habits, again she left non the wiser.

 

[Scott in the Sand]

Try this, it’s a gem:

 

[Highlandwolf2]

Typical Conservatives... scrap the subsidy to the BBC and then “criticise” the BBC (I.e. crocodile tears) when the Beeb have no option other than to generate a huge amount of money to cover the shortfall. Hypocrites!!!

 

[Highlandwolf2]

Typical Conservatives... scrap the subsidy to the BBC and then “criticise” the BBC (I.e. crocodile tears) when the Beeb have no option other than to generate a huge amount of money to cover the shortfall. Hypocrites!!!

Sorry - thought thread was about charging over 75s for TV licence (mind you my comment stands).

 

[Wednesbury Wolf]

On GMB this morning Andrew Pierce said he was at the repatriation news conference of a hostage from abroad which the BBC attended.
Number of reporters present: ITV - 1, CH4 - 1, SKY - 1, BBC - 38.
The gargantuan waste at the BBC is simply staggering.

 

[derbyrameater]

Licence tax was on radio 5 this morning and it was mentioned that those stations which some on here want to replace the BBC as they just use advertising get licence tax money..

 

[topcat99]

Licence tax was on radio 5 this morning and it was mentioned that those stations which some on here want to replace the BBC as they just use advertising get licence tax money..

Are the pubs open already?

 

[WolfLing]

On GMB this morning Andrew Pierce said he was at the repatriation news conference of a hostage from abroad which the BBC attended.
Number of reporters present: ITV - 1, CH4 - 1, SKY - 1, BBC - 38.
The gargantuan waste at the BBC is simply staggering.

This article from 2016 goes through how the TV License revenues are spent. It was approximately £3.7bn per year back then and has probably gone up to around £3.8bn now.

How does the BBC spend its £3.7bn in licence fee money?

I imagine that the excess of reporters at the news event you mentioned is by no means the end of their huge inefficiency.

£3.8bn of revenue should give us a lot more than it does if you compare it to the likes of someone like Netflix, who have annual revenues of £14bn and are pumping out prolific levels of very high quality original content. Content providers like HBO work on a similar operating budget to BBC One!

The BBC also now sell their content to other service providers such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. Where does this money go? Shouldn't we get a rebate? They've taken out money, created content with it, sold it and pocketed the proceeds!

As for the over 75s. I'm in favour of means-tested benefits as opposed to a blanket freebie for certain age-groups. There are a lot of younger people in far greater need of free benefits than a lot of wealthy pensioners. What's more, given that most of the budget is taken up by BBC One and Radio 4, it's about right that older people pay their fair share!!

But the way content and viewing habits are changing means something will have to change in the future. The fact that there is still a license rate for balck and white TV sets shows how behind the times the system is!

 

[Glass ankles]

Try this, it’s a gem:

Vultures