Do I need a TV licence? Rules and regulations for streaming and watching live as thousands of Brits threaten to boycott paying BBC fee

Brits have threatened to boycott the TV Licence after the BBC announced it would be increasing the fee by almost £15 in 2024.

Some have said they will stop paying the costly charge, which is due to rise from £159 to £173.30 from next spring in line with inflation, while others declared that they had stopped paying it already as it was too costly.

But do you need a TV licence? Could you be fined for not paying it according to the BBC's rules and regulations?

Read on below for everything you need to know about TV licence fee rules. 

Do you need a TV licence?

Advice on the requirements for a TV licence on the government website state you must have a TV licence if you watch or record live TV on any channel or service or use BBC iPlayer. 

However, you do not need to be in possession of a TV licence to watch streaming services like Netflix or on-demand services such All 4. 

You can also watch content on websites like YouTube or play DVDs without the need to have a TV licence. 

How much does a TV licence cost? 

A TV licence costs £159 for homes and businesses, reducing to £53.50 if you are watching TV on a black and white TV set, but the former could be set to rise to £173.30 in 2024.

Whether or not you need your own TV licence depends on if you are living alone and the conditions of your tenancy agreement. 

You can have one TV licence for the whole household if you either watch TV in a single shared area or have a joint tenancy agreement. 

If you’re living in university accommodation you’ll need a TV licence to watch TV in your own room but communal areas may already be covered by a TV licence.

Any students live at another address outside of term time can use its TV Licence while you are still studying.  

If your business offers overnight accommodation, such as a hotel, you need a TV licence for guests to watch TV in their room. 

A single TV licence covers up to 15 rooms or accommodation units for businesses.

What happens if you watch TV without a TV licence? 

The government also warns that you can be fined up to £1,000 if you watch or record live TV without a TV licence. 

The TV licence fee has been frozen for two years at £159 but is due to rise in line with inflation for four years from next spring.

That would add nearly £15 to the fee next year, taking it to £173.30 if it is increased to match wider price rises.

Ministers are also expected to announce a formal review of licence fee funding amid concerns in Whitehall that it is becoming unsustainable.

They will consider alternatives including a subscription model, a levy on broadband and advertising revenue. 

Any reform is likely to come into effect in 2027, when the BBC's Royal Charter is up for renewal.