However, it looks like the rules are set to change soon as from the 1st of September, BBC iPlayer watchers will apparently need to have a valid TV license, even if they are watching online with a PC or smartphone/tablet.
Advertisement
“You will not need a TV licence to download or watch programmes on demand from other providers, such as YouTube, Netflix, ITV Hub, All 4 or Demand 5”, the spokesperson added.
The change applies to all devices, including smart TVs, mobile phones, laptops, and tablets.
The reform will close the so-called “iPlayer loophole”, which enables viewers to watch non-live programming on iPlayer without having to pay the licence fee.
A LOOPHOLE in the law which meant that people could watch TV programmes without a licence is about to be closed off. They don’t, however, include BBC radio content, listening to on-demand from iPlayer, nor do they include content from the Welsh broadcaster S4C.
The £145-per-year licence is only now needed for those who watch live television but there will soon be changes to the law.
Two in three students view catch-up TV, with many watching on-demand programmes.
What do you need to do if you already have a licence?
Watch or record programmes as they are shown on TV, or live on an online TV service, on any channel.
Culture secretary John Whittingdale said in March this year: “When the licence fee was invented, video and on-demand did not exist”.
· Find more information and the answers to the most frequently asked questions about TV Licence and the change in the law (tvlicensing.co.uk/iplayerinfo).
Advertisement
At the time of writing, a TV License costs £145.50 a year and is available for purchase via the TV Licensing website. So, if you already have a TV Licence on 1 September, you’re already covered.
