Users who don’t pay a TV licence because they only access streaming apps including Netflix and Prime Video are warned not to fall foul of an important rule.
- Some Netflix and Prime Video users will need a TV licence this Christmas.
- TV Licence rules now extend beyond traditional broadcast live TV channels.
Ahead of the peak Christmas and New Year TV and streaming season, UK viewers are warned not to be caught out by a rule that requires users to hold a TV licence to access some content on Netflix and Prime Video.
Current TV Licensing rules means users have to be covered by a TV Licence not only if they watch live TV on traditional broadcast platforms like Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media, but also if they live stream via a streaming app or watch foreign TV channels in the UK.
Two upcoming events on Netflix and Prime Video means subscribers may fall foul those rules. Previously, both streaming services were solely on-demand only, which meant users could legitimately get around having a TV Licence.
However, this Christmas, Netflix is once again venturing out into live streaming, with coverage of the NFL Christmas Game Day. Prime Video will be showing live Premier League football on Boxing Day (26th) and 27th December.
In both cases, UK viewers will technically be required to be covered by a TV Licence. Additionally, watching a live stream on YouTube now also falls under the definition of live TV (clips, on-demand and non-live content is exempt).
The TV Licensing rules cover watching live TV or live streams on TVs, games consoles, mobiles, tablets and laptops. The rules were changed in response to the growth of online streaming services.
New smart TVs may automatically seek live TV channels
Meanwhile, viewers getting a new smart TV this Christmas could also be caught out by the rules.
Previously, anyone using a smart TV that wasn’t connected to an aerial, satellite dish or digital TV box could be exempt from a TV Licence. You would still have to avoid the iPlayer and any other apps containing live streams. Importantly, without a connection to an aerial or dish, the channel list would remain empty.
Now that a number of TV manufacturers are embedding streaming service Freely into their newest TV devices, it means that some smart TVs will automatically try and scan live TV channels by default when being set-up. That’s because Freely also works when a TV is only connected to the internet, unlike Freeview or Freesat. It is however possible to uninstall the Freely app if you don’t pay for a TV Licence. This option should be found within the system settings menu under ‘application settings’.
By: Marc Thornham | Updated 07:26 21/12/2024. Added a line in brackets clarifying YouTube usage that is exempt from TV Licence requirements.