Do you pay your TV license poll

I think the reason the bbc hasn’t gone subscription is because they would lose far to much money.

I know of family members who pay because they think watching any tv at means you have to pay, or listening to the radio. People too scared to not pay just in case.

Where as once it’s sub only those who truely want bbc channels will actually pay and I bet there are not many and even fewer who would want it all year rather than just hopping on for a month for say strictly.

All those avid must watch Eastenders everyday lot must be dying out surely.

Do you really not watch the news ever?

I don't pay, because I've opted out. Don't miss it in the least bit and I think it's been nearly 5 years now. Not heard from them once other than a single letter asking me to confirm it was still the case that I don't require one.

I don’t pay. I own a TV, and I paid for that. I watch Netflix, and I pay for that.

I have never watched any actual TV channels on my tv; I don’t even have them programmed in.

I am not sure what business it is of the fucking governments. The letters enrage me beyond measure.

My mum gets pension credit. She’s neither a slacker nor did she piss her money up the wall! She spent her life bringing up me and my sister and then caring for my nan until she died. Then she became disabled and couldn’t work (the audacity, right?). Clearly she should be made to live on the streets and eat bread and water being such a slacker and pissing her money up the wall. 🤨

Of course, I’m paying for a service I use every day. I don’t believe those who say they don’t need/pay for it because they don’t watch live TV or use iplayer.

We don't have a TV and don't watch live stuff on devices. I have to fill in an online form every year (it used to be two years I think) and I've just had a reminder email to do it again. I might not do it this time because it's ridiculous. I don't have to email the police every year to inform them that I haven't committed any crimes. I think they're a bunch of control freaks and I'm feeling rebellious.

For every £1 spent it returns £2.80 to the tax payer.
we really should value it better.

Don’t pay as I don’t need one. It’s pretty expensive!

I don’t really understand your point? It’s 2026, absolutely no one is waiting for the news at ten to find out what is happening in the world! Literally get news alerts on my phone as they happen.

Well I'm definitely not lying. Last time I watched TV when it was on at work (6 years ago) it was so shockingly bad that I doubt my brain would be able to stand it now. Don't watch any bbc either. It's not to my taste.

I don’t believe those who say they watch the BBC everyday.

In fact I pay for 3. One for home, one for the office and one for the student in halls.

I’ve written back loads of times but they ignore it.

same as the energy company who keep writing to me about the person who lived there before we bought it who owes them £200

only so many times you can ring and write and tell them she’s deceased and that we have our own up to date account for the property WITH THEM! Why don’t they keep proper records?!

This. It’s not compulsory to have one but the way the BBC acts you’d swear it is and you are committing a crime by not having one.

I pay. Every time I sign up for a subscription service like Netflix, I usually only watch the one program I'm interested in, then unsubscribe, because it's full of stuff I have zero interest in. I also listen to BBC radio for about 12 hours/day!

I pay too but wish it was a subscription/buy a series or film option.

Recent things I've watched

Ride or Die and Bookish on Now TV
Zero Stars and Last one laughing on Prime
Will watch the new The Trip when it comes out in October
Frauds and comedy stand up on ITV catch up
Loads of films on C4, Prime, Now TV
C4 and C5 are particularly good for history and travel shows (Bettany Hughes, Michael Portillo)
We're cancelling the above paid channels soon and getting Netflix instead as we've not had it for a couple of years and there's stuff that's come out that we've not seen.

A load of other stuff I can't remember. There's no shortage of things to watch, you can see what they all offer on their websites and get free trials with most of them.

And you can still watch ITV, C4 and C5 without a licence but not live but almost no-one watches TV live any more anyway, it's all streamed or from a Sky recording, which granted you need a licence for, but it's not an issue if you can stream.

But the main issue for me is that with the BBC there is no flexibility (OK you can get a licence and cancel for a refund of unused months, but it's £180 upfront and then you have to phone them to cancel). All the other platforms allow you to pay month to month with no contract so you can rotate round them easily and sign up/cancel online. Plus most of them are way less than £15 a month especially as all of them except Netflix always have offers on, we've never paid full price for whatever we've had, usually about half, as we sign up based on who's got an offer going.

I suppose the only thing you miss out by not having BBC is some sport, but I don't watch that anyway.

I am not in the habit of breaking the law so yes I do.

The news is the same every day anyway. I never wait with baited breath to hear the latest crap about the price of oil, net zero or how amazing burnham is 🙄

I pay monthly by DD but am being driven round the bend by daily threatening scam emails. I've tried reporting, blocking and ignoring but they still persistent.

Any suggestions welcome.

I haven’t paid since about 2010. I get an email or letter every few years and I make a new declaration that I don’t watch live tv etc.

And I don’t. I read books, watch youtube stuff, go to the movies and local theatres. I do a lot of decorating and DIY and crafts and art and gardening and fettling with things. And reading… did I mention reading ;)

I don’t get any hassle from them. Only time I had hassle was when my son stayed for a few months and was watching iplayer on his computer here. No idea how they know but I told him he can’t unless he wants to pay for the license and they stopped.

I watch a few things on demand on ITV X because I prefer to watch them when I feel like. I’m not paying for something when I don’t need to, I wouldn’t pay to tax a car I didn’t have so why pay for live tv when I don’t watch it?

Not news alerts. In depth commentary by journalists.

It’s not against the law to not pay the TV licence.