Do You Need A TV Licence For Netflix?

When the cost of living is already so high, and people are struggling to avoid unnecessary costs, it causes you to take a closer look at exactly what you’re spending.

This may cause people to take a look at their TV licence, and wonder if they actually need one.

If you’re unsure about whether or not you need a TV licence to watch streaming services such as Netflix, or don’t even know what a TV licence is, take a look below to find out.

What Is A TV Licence?

The TV licence is essentially a fixed amount of money that you are required to pay each year.

Every single household in the UK must have a TV license if they are watching or recording any programs shown on any TV channel.

The TV licence must also be paid if you intend on watching or streaming programs on online TV services, such as YouTube, All 4, or Amazon Prime.

In addition, you must also pay the fee if you download or watch programs on BBC iPlayer.

It doesn’t matter whether you are watching these programmes on a laptop or mobile device rather than an actual TV, the rules still apply in the same way and you must pay the fee.

What Happens If You Don’t Pay The TV Licence?

It is advised that if you are using the streaming services listed above, or are viewing live television without a TV licence, you look into getting one as soon as possible.

If you fail to pay a TV licence, you could be taken to court and issued a fine of £1000, plus court costs.

Can I Watch Netflix Without A TV Licence?

Here it is, the answer that you’ve all been searching for. So do you actually need a TV licence to watch Netflix?

The simple answer is – No. You don’t need a TV licence to watch Netflix. This is stated explicitly for viewers on the TV licensing website.

You only need a TV licence if you are watching live TV, or if you are intending on streaming shows that have been previously broadcast on live TV.

So if you fit into this category, and just intend on watching your programs on online services such as Netflix, you can safely cut the cost of the TV licence out of your budget.

In addition, if you’ve already paid the TV licence fee for the year and realise that you don’t need one because you only ever watch Netflix, you can claim your money back.

What Other Services Do Not Require A TV Licence?

Now that we’ve established that you don’t in fact need a TV licence to watch Netflix, you may be wondering what other streaming services you can watch without one.

You can safely decide not to pay a TV licence if you’re also only subscribed to services such as Disney Plus, and are watching things on YouTube.

These are not under the jurisdiction of the TV licensing company, so you can safely enjoy these programs in peace without fearing any unwanted visits from them.

Does Amazon Prime Require A TV Licence?

This one is more tricky to answer because Amazon Prime offers two kinds of services for viewers, live television streaming, and movies and tv shows that can be watched whenever.

If you intend on watching the live TV streaming on Amazon Prime, then you will be required to pay the licensing fee, but if you’re simply watching it on catch-up, you won’t need to.

Is The TV Licensing Fee Under Threat?

The TV licensing fee has come under threat as we’ve moved away from relying solely on live television.

It was first introduced in 1946, several decades ago, when the BBC was the only company that provided television programming.

Since then, with the introduction of debatably more popular services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus, more and more people are moving away from relying on live television.

In addition to this, many people are against the TV licence because it is a flat-rate-payment, which means that even the poorest people in the country have to pay the exact same price for the fee as the richest.

Can I Get A Discount On My TV Licence?

Depending on your personal circumstances, you may be eligible for a discount on your TV licence. People who may qualify for this discount includes:

• Visually impaired or blind – If your vision is considered to be significantly impaired, you can get up to a 50% reduction on your TV licensing fees.
• Residents of care homes – Care home residents also qualify for a discount, although not as great as the one above. Family members and carers of the person will still need a separate TV licence.
• People over 75 – It used to be the case that people that were over the age of 75 could get a free TV licence, however, this is no longer the case. Despite this, you may still be eligible for a free licence if you and your partner are both over 75 and you receive pension credit. There is more information about this on the TV licensing website, so take a look to see if you qualify.

Do I Still Need To Pay The TV Licence If I’m A Student?

Yes – students are not exempt from paying the TV licence fee.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, if you are watching any streaming service such as BBC iPlayer, or any other which shows programs that have previously been shown on live television, you will need to buy a TV licence.

If, however, you only watch your programs on Netflix, Disney Plus, or Amazon Prime Video (provided it’s not live TV), you don’t need to pay the TV licence.