People who are caught without a TV licence could be fined and prosecuted
A standard colour TV licence currently costs £174.50 annually. While not every home requires one, some people may be unaware they’re illegally watching or streaming television without the proper licence.
Ministry of Justice data revealed 76 people were awaiting trial for non-payment of the BBC licence fee as of November 6, 2025. Most defendants are aged 45 to 64, with just one person under 25.
Households need a TV licence if they watch any of the following:
- All TV channels like BBC or ITV, including international channels
- Pay TV services like Sky
- Live TV on streaming services including YouTube and Netflix
- BBC iPlayer
Certain individuals are exempt from paying the TV licence fee, whilst others may qualify for a discount based on their health and living situation. Further details are available on the TV Licensing website.
Individuals can face prosecution for not having a TV licence, though the TV Licensing Agency emphasises: “Prosecution is a last resort. We want to help you avoid this.”
The agency will initially send letters to your address to verify whether you require a licence. If you’re only watching channels and services not covered by the licence, you can legally declare you don’t need one.
If you ignore these letters, a TV licensing officer could visit your home to inspect what television equipment you’ve got and potentially question you about how you’re using it to make sure you understand when a licence is required.
Following this, if it’s determined you need a licence but haven’t purchased one or can’t afford it, the authority might propose a payment plan. This proposal will arrive in writing, known as an out-of-court disposal.
The authority states: “However, if you’re offered an out of court disposal and you don’t buy a TV Licence or keep up with your payments, you could be prosecuted.”
Legal action may proceed to the next level if you haven’t paid for a licence in full, arranged a payment plan and kept up with instalments, or cancelled your licence.
Should the court find you guilty, you could be hit with a fine of up to £1,000, or £2,000 for Guernsey residents. Whilst you won’t be imprisoned for failing to pay a TV licence fee, the authority warns: “The court may decide to send you to prison for deliberately refusing to pay your court fines.”