Virgin Media has just issued some useful guidance about who can skip and ditch the TV licence.
Are you now simply streaming telly and unsure if you really need to pay the TV licence? There’s some new advice from the team at Virgin Media and it’s well worth knowing as it save you money and being hit with a possible £1,000 fine.
Virgin’s very handy guide has been posted online with the firm saying it’s being released in a bid to cut down on the TV licence “confusion”.
Let’s start with the simple part. As Virgin explains, the £169.50 yearly fee must be paid by anyone who watches or records any live TV. That includes tuning in via services such as Sky, Freeview, Virgin and Freely. It also applies when tuning into BBC iPlayer and watching via phone, tablets or PCs.
“Let’s cut through the confusion,” Virgin Media said.
“In 2025, a TV licence is legally required in the UK if you watch or record live TV on any channel or use BBC iPlayer – whether that’s live, or on catch-up.
“It doesn’t matter what you’re watching on, TV, laptop or mobile, the same rule applies.”
So, if you are enjoying EastEnders, Coronation Street, live sport and films being broadcast on terrestrial channels, you are going to need to pay.
However, there is a way to avoid paying.
As Virgin confirms, those simply streaming content via services such as Netflix, YouTube, Disney+ and Prime Video using the web don’t need a TV licence.
There is one big caveat, though.
Watching any live content via these streaming players – such as sporting events – means a fee MUST be paid.
“Can you skip a TV licence if you only stream?,” Virgin asked.
“The good news is you don’t need a TV licence to stream on-demand content from platforms like Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+. So, if you’re not watching live broadcasts or using BBC iPlayer, you might be able to ditch your licence altogether.
“That’s where Virgin Media comes in. You can stream your favourite shows, binge YouTube, and chill with Netflix – all without needing a TV licence (just don’t hit that “Live TV” button).”
Along with Virgin Media, the licence fee website also breaks down the rules.
Here’s what the service says. “You can cancel your licence and may be eligible for a refund if, before your licence expires, you won’t be: watching TV on any channel, like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U&Dave and international channels. Watching TV on pay TV services, like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV. Watching live TV on streaming services, like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.
It’s worth being very careful before scrapping your licence fee, as anyone caught flouting the rules can be fined up to £1,000 and get a criminal record.