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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder if a TV license is worth it?

96 replies

PoesyCherish · 09/09/2018 15:01

DP and I got rid of our TV license when we moved as the aerial was broken and we couldn't be bothered fixing it. We had no access to live Tv and since we weren't actually watching anything on BBC1 we didn't think it was worth it.

Now though I'm questioning that and wondering if we should get one again. I saw on here that the BBC have started a shop well for less programme. I loved eat well for less and would love to watch it. I also want to watch The apprentice soon.

Is it really worth it for the sake of being able to watch two programmes though?

OP posts:
DieAntword · 09/09/2018 15:07

Before you needed one for catch-up I’d say it wasn’t but now I would say it is because you never know what you might feel like watching. I watch a lot of catchup tv though although most of it is Hey Duggee and Sarah and Duck.

Pepper123123 · 09/09/2018 15:25

I don't think it's worth it.
I cancelled my license years ago and watch only Netflix or Prime now.

I don't miss the BBC, personally.

IsTheRainEverComingBack · 09/09/2018 15:28

I don’t mind paying mine because I listen to Radio 4 pretty much all day long, and it’s about the same cost as Apple Music, the other thing I’m most likely to be listening to. But I do think we’ve moved past having one national broadcaster we all pay for now.

SilverySurfer · 09/09/2018 15:28

Yes, I think it's worth it.

goldhen · 09/09/2018 15:31

It’s worth it however I wish they would get their systems right. Keep trying to charge me a direct debit and send people round even though I’ve already paid for the whole yearHmm

stoneriverpuddle · 09/09/2018 15:31

It's £12.37 a month, hardly going to break the bank.

PattiStanger · 09/09/2018 15:32

You don't need a licence to listen to the radio, if you never watch the TV you could save yourself some money - istheraincommingback

serbska · 09/09/2018 15:51

Totally worth it.

All ththe BBC content and iplayer for £11 a month. Great.

Happy to find a politically independent public broadcaster.

glintandglide · 09/09/2018 15:52

Yes it’s not very much is it? I’d pay that for blue planet on its own!

Lazypuppy · 09/09/2018 15:53

Totally worth it for me, and like a pp said its only £12 a month

dangermouseisace · 09/09/2018 15:54

I think it’s worth it; there have been some great dramas on TV recently.

c3pu · 09/09/2018 15:58

I got rid of my TV licence when my Freesat receiver went belly up. I considered getting one again for when the iPlayer rule came in but I've done without and not missed out.

IsTheRainEverComingBack · 09/09/2018 15:59

Thanks PattiStanger I do watch the BBC as well, I just listen to the radio more. Surely all the BBC money just goes in one pot?

Djnoun · 09/09/2018 16:02

No, I don't think it's worth it. I watch Amazon Prime or rent things I want from Google Play. Or if there was a BBC series I was desperate to watch, I'd buy the DVD.

drinkswineoutofamug · 09/09/2018 16:24

Got rid of my tv licence and my virgin media contract. The telly is a huge ornament in the corner of the living room. I watch Netflix and nowtv on my laptop when cooking.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 09/09/2018 16:27

Just wanted to add the usual reminder that the license isn't just for watching BBC, it is watching any live TV, any and all channels.

babysharksmummy · 09/09/2018 16:29

I find it worth it.
Lots of good BBC dramas on at the minute.
Cbeebies is worth the fee alone!
I'm an Eastenders addict...
And most importantly, I like to record live TV from all channels to watch at my leisure on my sky planner. Whereas with catch up you have to watch it within the month or it disappears.
I'm quite old fashioned when it comes to TV though, I love buying a TV listing mag and ringing what I want to watch, and I'm not really impressed with Netflix in general (pilfer my mums subscription when black mirror is on though Grin)

CoughLaughFart · 09/09/2018 17:18

You don’t have to sin in to iPlayer with your licence number. Literally all it says is ‘Do you have a TV licence?’ Just click ‘yes’.

CoughLaughFart · 09/09/2018 17:20

Sin in Hmm Sign, obviously! Perhaps it was a Freudian slip because I suggested the sin of watching the Beeb for free Grin

Original poster
PoesyCherish · 09/09/2018 17:53

Just wanted to add the usual reminder that the license isn't just for watching BBC, it is watching any live TV, any and all channels.

I'm aware of that but like I said, we don't currently watch any Live TV.

Hmm after reading these responses I don't think it is worth it. It might "only" be £12 for some but for others, especially when on top of all the other bills it can be quite a lot to fork out every month.

OP posts:
CuriousaboutSamphire · 09/09/2018 17:57

Not really aimed at you Poesy but there are still posters who don't know. That info is usually not known by quite a few who post on 'not paying to watch the BBC' type posts.

I have spent more than half my life without a telly. We are currently trying Amazon and will try Netflix to see if we want to change... maybe not have a telly at all again. At the moment we prefer paying the license fee and having a Freeview box.

onceandneveragain · 09/09/2018 17:58

for those saying it's 'only' £12, that's fair enough, if the option was paying £12 or not watching any tv. But if it's £12 for bbc or £6 for netflix/prime/nowtv etc (or free for 4od, ITV catch up, etc.) and there are more things I'd prefer to watching on one of the subscription ones, then it makes more sense to pay for them instead of the bbc licence. Whereas if you get all of them suddenly you're paying £360 p/y. So it makes sense to work out which is best value for money for you.

OP - up to you. If you want to watch those programs, get a license for a few months and see how you go. £6 per show is cheaper than buying the dvd, and there will probably be more things you like when you're flicking through.

drinkswine- could be worth getting a roku/now tv stick so you could watch the shows on the tv if you wanted? They are £15-£25 for a one-off payment(as you're already paying the subscription) and at least you can watch them on a bigger screen?

flirtygirl · 09/09/2018 18:17

We got rid of our TV licence in Feb this year. I stopped paying last March and when I rang them they said what I had paid covers me until 28th Feb 2018.

I don't think it was worth it as we hardly watched anything live on all the channels and I only miss ewfl and Dr who. Dr who is so rarely on, it's not worth it for me.

The other channels, I don't miss as whilst I can't watch them live, I can watch them on catch up. I rarely watch uk shows much, just a few shows that I have watched on catchup for the last 5 years or so.

My roku cost £20, it's a one time payment and my oldest dd loves manga and there is loads on there. Lots of YouTube channels and children's ones . I also pay 3.99 for now tv kids for my 9 year old, which has programs from loads of children's channels like nick jnr and cartoon network. 4 per month is so much better than almost £13.

I have stopped using the BBC website also and I don't listen to their radio stations.

ParklifePoser · 09/09/2018 18:30

The other channels, I don't miss as whilst I can't watch them live, I can watch them on catch up.

Hi lighting this because they changed the rules a while back and this reads like you have no idea.

YOU CANT LEGALLY WATCH CATCH UP WITHOUT A TV LICENCE.

Also because it goes through the internet it's probably much easier for them to track if you are watching it.

Personally we've had times were we kept the licence and some when we've not had it. At the moment we have a license, although we mostly watch catch up. Had it much less frequently when you could watch catch up without one. We also have Netflix. Even if we add on the basic Now TV package so the kids have more channels it's still much cheaper than even the most basic sky package.

ParklifePoser · 09/09/2018 18:31

You also cannot legally watch Now TV without a license as I've just realised you are doing that as well. Your license covers ALL live channels, not just the BBC.