How to stop paying for my TV licence

[caravantulips]

I like the BBC and have never really begrudged my monthly direct debit but seeing the news that the licence fee is £180 this year it’s made me question it’s value as it’s only me who watches it.

I never watch BBC live (except for the news back in Covid times) but use iPlayer a lot. Should I just cancel the direct debit and delete the iPlayer app from my TV? Is this enough?

I do have the BBC news app on my phone and it’s my sole choice for news as it’s (supposed to be!!) impartial. Do you know if I can still use this? What about the videos on the BBC news channel?

We pay, but only because we have sky, and it’s live TV. I will watch certain BBC programs too I.e olympics

I don’t agree with the TV license, I personally think BBC services should just have adverts like other broadcasters. I don’t use their news services as I find for a non-biased organisation, they are biased, but that’s a different discussion.

It’s just another tax on everyone in my view. It’s like having a tax just to get the electricity to your house, whether you use it or not… oh wait…

This is a very silly statement, do you think it doesn’t cost anything to make TV programmes, radio shows or online/app content?

Production staff need a salary, studios cost money, cameras and broadcast equipment need paying for and maintaining etc etc etc… the vast majority of people who work in TV aren’t the ones you see on screen, they’re behind the scenes, technicians, camera, lighting and sound crew, editors, directors, journalists, script writers…

I'd apply the argument that the radio waves that carry the terrestrial service cross my land, passthrough the property, my body even!

So if you don't want me utilising them, then stop them crossing my property 😀

@gemini0606
Your children will definitely use it at school. The BBC educational output supports all Key stages and will be used in the classroom. If your child has a poor or absent science teacher at secondary school, Bitesize covers the curriculum with videos, games worksheets. It supports so much of school life.

There isn’t enough advertising revenue to support another TV channel in the UK.

If the BBC started taking adverts it would impact other channels that may collapse, and the BBC is supposed to support the wider creative industries and tv industry not destroy it.

Because I used to pay for all of it - Sky Tv, Netflix, Amazon Prime etc and cost an absolute bomb! Then my brother-in-law suggested the firestick. Now we have everything we want to watch and it costs us £49 a year (well that’s what it cost last year.) I am proud of anything that I can do to save my family some money.

ITV

They’re cracking down on illegal fire sticks, I’d rather deal with the licence fee people than the police knocking on the door, it’s been happening round our way.

Yes, we do grudge it. We never watched the BBC so cancelled the licence years ago. Glad not to have it.

I cancelled mine about 4 years ago. You can do it on their website.

I am not paying for a broadcaster that Lost its independence and integrity.

I only watch stuff online through the channel4 and ITV on demand service that does not require you to have a licence.

I think the whole licence concept is outdated and it is ludicrous that people could go to prison for not having one.

Newsround. That's what DS aged 10 talks about watching in school.

Since DS has long stopped watching cbeebies we literally never watch the BBC. I just find their programmes to be stale; the apprentice, EastEnders, dragon's den etc. they no longer do produce any classic comedies anymore either. Saturday night TV is dreadful full of crap celebrity orientated shows too. But they get us because dh has the sports package on NowTV but I really resent having to pay to fund the for BBC when we literally do not watch it.

But anyway, if you want to cancel the BBC and confident you don't watch live TV broadcast then cancel through their website and then yeah I suppose delete all their apps from all your devices. Should be enough.

But but but the “rules”!!!

Very true - but it’s only illegal to create it and sell it it’s not illegal to view it. Talk about a loophole!

Same. I prefer to have a tv channel that’s not at the mercy of its advertisers and is independent of government.

I live in France and the BBC have blocked access to their radio channels from last year.
I have a vpn on my phone now for my Archers fix.

I understand what you’re saying, and they do some great programs. Still doesn’t mean I agree paying for it.

Compared to other streaming services and what it offers, its value is pretty good.

It is the concept of you must pay for all live TV/Radio that I disagree with.

I don’t watch live tv and haven’t paid for a licence for over a decade. I notified them at the time but I still get regular letters threatening me - they go in the bin.

I find lots to watch and frankly I don’t miss their woke, biased offerings.

I can’t believe this thread. You like the BBC, you use iPlayer a lot, but you don’t want to pay? I’m sorry, but I think that’s appalling. I’d have more sympathy if you had said you are struggling. What do you think will happen to the licence fee if more and more people find a workaround? Just pay it OP.

If BBC licence became a subscription surely the bit that is the live TV charge would fall on the streaming companies to pay it if they show. Live TV which would be the right thing to do.

Still live TV which you can't watch without a license or do you mean watch on catch up.

I begrudge paying the licence fee
repeats, buy this ‘book’ , adverts for more repeats, biased news reports

i cancelled my license when i didnt have a tv
after about a year i got a tv,
i got a visit almost immediately, or a letter, I cant remember,
they KNEW

You absolutely can watch it without a licence. Ive been doing it for years.

Completely unreasonable and miserly cheating.

Who do you think PAYS for all the programmes you like to watch on iPlayer?

Who do you think PAYS for journalists, camera technicians, lighting people, script writers, and so on?