The rules haven’t torn up the playbook, but they have been rewritten in plainer, device‑agnostic language. Every household in the UK will be touched by this — from students with laptops to families who only binge on-demand.
I’m standing in a kitchen in Walsall, kettle just clicked, when a brown envelope lands with the familiar crest. Mum scrolls on her phone, Dad flicks through the smart TV menu, and their teenage son streams football highlights on a tablet. “Do we even watch ‘live’ anymore?” someone asks, half-joking, half-nervous. The telly isn’t what it used to be — it’s everywhere, in pockets and on consoles, in holiday lets and student digs. The 2026 wording aims to meet that reality head on. One line on the leaflet catches the eye: your licence follows what you do, not what you own. Then something else jumps out.
2026: what’s changing — and what isn’t
The legal heart of it is the same: you need a licence to watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV, on any channel or service, and to use **BBC iPlayer**. The 2026 update simply strips away the old tech labels and says it clearly. Whether it’s Freeview, satellite, a smart TV app, a games console or a streaming stick, if it’s showing a programme at the same time as broadcast, it counts. Netflix‑only and other pure on‑demand viewing? That still doesn’t require a licence, as long as you never go near iPlayer or any live channel.
To show how this plays out, picture a house-share in Bristol. One flatmate watches **live TV** via ITVX while another sticks to Disney+ boxsets, and a third uses iPlayer for Sunday dramas. In 2026 the guidance spells out who needs what: if it’s a joint tenancy, one licence covers the lot; if each person has a separate tenancy, each room that watches live TV or uses iPlayer needs its own licence. Landlords don’t get a blanket pass for short lets either — a holiday home with a TV for guests needs a valid licence for the property when it’s in use.
There’s also plainer language around concessions and verification. Over‑75s still qualify for a free licence if they receive Pension Credit, and people who are registered severely sight impaired get a 50% discount. Expect cleaner digital checks rather than piles of paper letters, and more flexible ways to pay. Under the current funding settlement, the fee is scheduled to track inflation, so the April 2026 amount will be confirmed closer to the date. The rule itself hasn’t shifted; the way it’s explained has.
Simple moves to stay compliant in minutes
Do a quick three‑question audit. Do you ever watch or record live programmes on any device or app? Do you ever use **BBC iPlayer** (live or on-demand)? Is your home a joint tenancy or separate room contracts? If you answer yes to the first two, get a licence; if your house has separate tenancies, make sure each room that watches live TV or uses iPlayer is covered. Set up a monthly plan online; year one front-loads payments so you’re up to date, then it settles into a steadier rhythm.
Common mistakes crop up. People think “We only stream” and then put on a live sports channel via a smart TV app. Others assume parents’ coverage stretches to uni halls. It doesn’t if you use iPlayer or a plugged‑in TV in your room; a parents’ licence only covers a student watching live TV on a device powered solely by its internal batteries and not plugged in. We’ve all had that moment when a small rule hides in the small print and bites later. Keep it simple: if it’s live, or if it’s iPlayer, you need one.
Let’s be honest: nobody reads the small print every week. That’s why the 2026 wording leans on everyday examples rather than tech jargon, so households can make a clean call without second‑guessing themselves.
“It’s not about the box in the corner anymore,” says a media policy adviser I spoke to. “It’s about the moment a programme goes live, wherever it appears.”
- Only on-demand and never iPlayer? No licence.
- Any live channel on any app or device? Licence needed.
- iPlayer — live or on-demand? Licence needed.
- Joint tenancy: one licence; separate tenancies: each room that watches live TV or uses iPlayer needs its own.
- Over‑75 on Pension Credit: free licence; registered severely sight impaired: 50% discount.
What this means for your home in 2026
The TV Licence has always tracked behaviour more than hardware. The 2026 refresh just says the quiet part out loud, which helps when your household is a mash‑up of smart speakers, consoles and on‑the‑go screens. *The licence is less about the black box in the corner and more about how we live with screens now.* If you’re Netflix‑only, you can carry on; if you dip into live channels or iPlayer for a big final or a Sunday binge, budget for the fee and sleep easy. And if money’s tight, those concessions and payment options aren’t footnotes — they’re lifelines.
| Key point | Detail | Interest for the reader |
|---|---|---|
| Device-agnostic rule | Live TV on any platform and all iPlayer use still require a licence | Clarity across smart TVs, apps, consoles and sticks |
| Home type matters | Joint tenancies use one licence; separate room contracts may need individual cover | Stops overpaying — or getting caught short — in **shared houses** |
| Concessions and payment | Free for over‑75s on Pension Credit; 50% discount if severely sight impaired; flexible instalments | Ways to cut the cost and spread payments without stress |
FAQ :
- Do I need a TV Licence if I only use Netflix, Disney+ or Prime Video?If you never watch or record live TV on any service and never use BBC iPlayer, you don’t need one. The moment you watch a live channel in any app, you do.
- What exactly counts as “live TV” in 2026?Watching or recording programmes as they’re being shown on any channel or online service. Simulcasts in apps are included.
- Does BBC iPlayer always require a licence?Yes. Using iPlayer — live or on-demand — needs a TV Licence, on every device.
- I’m a student — does my parents’ licence cover me?Not if you use iPlayer or a plugged‑in TV in your room. A parents’ licence only covers watching live TV on a device powered solely by its own batteries and not plugged in at your term-time address.
- What are the penalties for not having a licence?You can face prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000 in England and Wales (plus costs), with different maximums in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
So if I only use Netflix and never touch iPlayer or any live channels in apps, I still dont need a licence, right? What about YouTube Live — does that count as “live TV” under these rules, or is it fine?