Should a TV licence be needed to watch streaming services like Netflix and YouTube?
A TV licence is not currently needed for on-demand viewing on Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video or YouTube. It is required to watch or record live TV on any service or channel, including live streams, and to use BBC iPlayer. The fee rose to £180 in April 2026, and licences in force fell from 23.8 million to 23.3 million between March 2025 and March 2026. In October 2026 it was reported that ministers are considering extending the fee to streaming as part of BBC Charter renewal. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport says no final decisions have been made, and a White Paper is expected before Christmas.
5 Opinions
Although the BBC drastically needs reform and bias removed, with factual and scientific basis applied, it is still a valuable medium for the nation and should be maintained. This requires a different funding model for modern times.
Absolutely not. I know people who have a licence because they think they need one for owning a TV. Scaremongering. They can carry on, I'll always choose not to pay it. No amount of magic vans outside my house will deter me
Pretty sure the license fee goes toward funding the BBC (after Capita's cut of course). If you don't watch the BBC, you shouldn't have to pay it. Simple as. If the BBC can't survive without forcing a modern broadband tax on people who don't even use BBC iPlayer, it deserves to collapse
I don't like funding paedophiles.