Many households in the UK are required to pay a TV Licence fee, which increased to £174.50 in April 2025. However, official guidance clarifies that you do not need a licence if you only use your television for gaming or watching DVDs, provided you never watch live TV on any service or use BBC iPlayer.
The TV Licensing website states: "You don’t need a TV Licence if you only use your TV for gaming or DVDs. That’s as long as you never watch TV channels on any TV service, watch live TV on streaming services, or use BBC iPlayer."
The fee rose by 2.9% in line with CPI inflation, the second increase since April 2021. Black-and-white licences cost £58.50. Future increases will be linked to inflation until 2027, with the fee set to rise to £180 in April 2026.
Those who watch, record or download programmes illegally risk prosecution and a maximum fine of £1,000 plus legal costs. However, certain individuals may qualify for a reduced or free licence, including those over 75 receiving Pension Credit, a means-tested benefit for those on a low income.
