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Original poster

Have you cancelled your TV licence?

127 replies

notgettinganyyounger · 09/12/2025 19:57

Im considering cancelling mine as I dont watch much live Tv but im worried I might press the wrong channel and watch something I need the licence for. Its quite confusing as it seems its more than just BBC you need the licence for.

OP posts:
Pancakeflipper · 10/12/2025 14:59

We pay.
I like the radio programmes the fees help pay for.

I like a good drama
I like the BBC website. Bitsize was a bloody godsend during Covid. The sports coverage on the website is often brilliant.

I think people just think "news, Eastenders". It's hell of alot more than that and I think our society would be poorer if the BBC ends.

RinsedCrispies · 10/12/2025 15:12

Vargas · 10/12/2025 14:23

One poster complains about the BBC's left wing bias, two complain about 'woke drivel' and 'woke rubbish', and two others complain about the BBC's right wing bias. Hilarious.

BBC is most defiantly left leaning.

I think people who talk about it being right wing generally are talking about Reform being ‘platformed’ or reported about.

I’ve yet to see any inkling of actual right wingness in the BBC.

EasternStandard · 10/12/2025 15:22

notgettinganyyounger · 09/12/2025 21:42

Not goody at all. You are missing the point. I presumed wrongly until very recently that the licence was just for the BBC.
We have loads of channels and subscriptiond I just find it too complicated to know if im watching something I should be paying a licence for. That is all

Show quote history

There’s a gov question that is pretty easy and asks you a few questions. If you look at do I need a tv licence it should come up.

mindutopia · 10/12/2025 15:25

I haven’t had a tv licence in about a decade. 😂

luckylavender · 10/12/2025 15:29

MuyPuy · 09/12/2025 20:16

Tempted. The bias and obsession with certain subjects (drag queens FFS) has meant I very rarely watch BBC or listen to the radio anymore. I keep it though mainly for things like Wimbledon or the World Cup.

I watch loads of BBC news (& other things) & can’t remember the last time I saw anything about drag queens.

CurlewKate · 10/12/2025 15:38

I am a little puzzled by the obligatory drag queens on Pottery Throwdown and cooking/baking shows but I can live with that for all the news and analysis and information. If it goes go we’ll miss it. Happy to pay pence a day for it.

StillCreatingAName · 10/12/2025 15:51

sparkleghost · 10/12/2025 14:52

Does nobody object to their partnership with Capita?

I think the letters that their hired bullies send with threats of doorstep visits, fines and prosecution are absolutely appalling. They are worded to deliberately intimidate, threaten and upset the recipient. I’m pretty confident about what the license covers and why I don’t need one - but these letters also hit the doormats of the elderly, vulnerable, those with mental illness etc.
And by the way, those prosecuted are disproportionately women.

I object to this massively and every time they try to get a license out of me, I write a letter of complaint about it, pointing out that the people frightened into paying for something they possibly don’t need are likely the most vulnerable. They never care. I usually get a “sorry you feel this way” type response.

They have never visited me (possibly because as a parting shot I comment that they are welcome to visit me if they wish, but they won’t be granted entry if it’s not at my convenience).

I do like their podcasts, and their children’s content is good. But it’s a matter of principle for me. If they ever change to a model similar to streaming services - opt in to access the content, pay monthly, cancel without penalty - then I’d sign right up.

For those worrying about flipping onto live TV, if you or your children have a games console you can install streaming apps on there. For certain apps (eg Netflix) there isn’t a live terrestrial TV option, so no need to worry. We usually access streaming services through the PS5 and while we do have eg 4oD (I forget what the modern name is, showing my age now!) I’ve never accidentally accessed live terrestrial TV. It doesn’t come on by default, you have to scroll into and access a different part of the app for that.

This is all very well, but who do you think is paying for all the children’s stuff and podcasts you enjoy and believe you’re entitled to listen to for free?

sparkleghost · 10/12/2025 15:52

StillCreatingAName · 10/12/2025 15:51

This is all very well, but who do you think is paying for all the children’s stuff and podcasts you enjoy and believe you’re entitled to listen to for free?

Show quote history

I don’t access children’s content, and I pay Spotify for the podcasts I access. Hope this answers your question!

Flako · 10/12/2025 15:56

I haven’t had one for at least ten years, you will need to watch no live tv regardless of channel and no iplayer.

SadSadTimes · 10/12/2025 16:00

Yes, cancelled a few years ago over outrageous bias.

We watch Netflix, youtube, Prime, apple. There's no possibility of us making a mistake and accidentally watching BBC, it is unplugged from our tv. We are careful not to watch anything live on youtube. Don't watch sports.

The drag queens were wearing me down tbf, I don't know how the pp missed them. Mostly news stories on the online BBC news, or pushing me to listen to their stories on Sounds. Go away, we don't care.

I am willing to return to BBC content if they return to balanced programming. Their recent leaked BBC memo and claims that it was "just a mistake" suggest I have some time to wait despite the resignations of two at the top.

I don't get the people who don't pay but still watch BBC. Have some principles

StillCreatingAName · 10/12/2025 16:09

sparkleghost · 10/12/2025 15:52

I don’t access children’s content, and I pay Spotify for the podcasts I access. Hope this answers your question!

Show quote history

You said their children’s stuff is ok and the BBC podcasts you access through Spotify have been paid for by licence fee payers or did you not know that? Btw, Spotify is hardly a squeaky clean platform for moral-minded folk to have instead of the licence fee 🤣

InLoveWithAI · 10/12/2025 16:26

I haven't paid it for years. Haven't missed BBC or live TV at all.

sparkleghost · 10/12/2025 16:27

StillCreatingAName · 10/12/2025 16:09

You said their children’s stuff is ok and the BBC podcasts you access through Spotify have been paid for by licence fee payers or did you not know that? Btw, Spotify is hardly a squeaky clean platform for moral-minded folk to have instead of the licence fee 🤣

Show quote history

You seem to think that acknowledging they produce quality content is synonymous with freeloading their services. We don’t. We access podcasts through Spotify, and actually, we do access children’s content - DS doesn’t have a huge amount of screen time, but he likes Peppa Pig, Bluey and Mister Maker. We pay Netflix, Disney and Amazon to access each of those respectively. The BBC do not allow those services to screen their content free of charge (and they’ll be getting something from Spotify, although I agree it’s likely to be minimal) so I am indirectly contributing. Which is fine - it is the TV licensing company I have a problem with, not the BBC.

None of these services are morally squeaky clean, I agree. But it is Capita criminalising the vulnerable I personally find most objectionable. You clearly have a different view and that’s fine. We don’t have to agree! Sorry if that is a bit too balanced and reasonable for MN!

StillCreatingAName · 10/12/2025 16:38

No, we absolutely agree but in the context of these threads about the licence fee it ends up bashing our public services and not separating the licence fee collection system from any beef posters have with the BBC. If it’s a generational thing to defend the BBC then I’m fully in, but I also pay for other subscriptions too even though all of them are more expensive than the value I personally get from the licence fee.

Sesma · 10/12/2025 16:40

BBC is definitely left leaning, it is the left that want to keep the licence fee, Reform wanted to get rid of it, Starmer will probably keep it.

RubynRita · 10/12/2025 16:44

Yes, stopped paying it around 5 years ago. Spend most of my time scrolling on MN and Facebook cooking/holiday sites.
DH pays for Prime and we watch a lot of DVDs.

Sesma · 10/12/2025 16:45

The licence isn't as expensive as the top tier cost of some streamers though, if you want UHD Netflix is more expensive and Disney plus UHD is similar price to licence.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 10/12/2025 16:54

I cancel it every time we go away for a month or more.

dizzydizzydizzy · 10/12/2025 17:02

OP if you are still watching some live TV or anything on Iplayer, you need to pay the license fee.

Sparklesandspandexgallore · 10/12/2025 19:29

No because the majority of programmes I watch are on the BBC.
I don’t have much tolerance for adverts either.

thefamous5 · 10/12/2025 19:51

Never had one. Never intend to

I refuse to pay for a channel I wont watch. I'm happy to forego the rest of live tv for it. The only thing I miss watching live is Football, so I just keep up with rhe scores online and then watch highlights.

Portakalkedi · 10/03/2026 21:03

Haven't had a licence for years. Over a year I pay for maybe 1 or 2 months Netflix, 1 month Disney, Amazon maybe once a year when they offer me a free trial. I might pay for a month's BBC as an alternative. I watch 1- 2 hours a day if that so not worthwhile to pay for any more.

FlossOnTheMill · 10/03/2026 21:14

Runrunrudolph · 09/12/2025 20:14

No I haven't.

I don't watch very much TV at all and I only watch on firestick or my phone. But I do watch some BBC content.
And I listen to quite a bit of BBC radio channels.
Where as I feel the BBC isn't what it was I actually think it's a very important institution and I actually don't begrudge paying the Licence Fee.

This, pretty much.

I seriously don’t get all the hatred the BBC seems to attract. All the haters ought to spend a few months in another country, with nothing to watch except local TV. The quality of what’s available in the US, for instance, is absolutely dire. Plus they have tons of advertising on the commercial channels like NBC and ABC, and much of airtime on the public channel PBS is devoted to fundraising and thanking their long list of sponsors. Much of their output is actually bought in from the BBC…

MissAmbrosia · 10/03/2026 21:14

I've just bought my first one after 20 years abroad. Weve watched and listened to BBC output over all that time so I don't feel aggrieved.

MyTrivia · 10/03/2026 21:15

PlazaAthenee · 09/12/2025 20:08

No, I listen to BBC radio and podcasts and watch BBC TV.

You don’t need a tv license for radio

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