How to watch TV legally without a TV licence as UK dad wins court case due to loophole that costs £0

Uk households are currently required to pay £174.50 per year to acquire a television licence, that allows them to legally watch and enjoy BBC and live TV content. This is required for televisions with an aerial or when watching this type of content on streaming.

However, a Kirkby dad has recently exposed a loophole after winning a court case over his lack of television licence. The Liverpool Echo reported that Lee Stuart was contacted by an inspection officer after he cancelled an application for a television licence shortly after moving into his new home.

The dad only watched online streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video on his playstation, which was connected to a television screen with no aerial connection, and did not watch any traditional television, BBC content or live television. After being questioned by the inspection officer during the visit and signing a statement declaration where he backed up his watching habit claims, Mr Stuart received a Single Justice Procedure Notice (SJPN) in January 2025 which notified him that he was being prosecuted.

Mr Stuart chose to contest the notice in court, claiming that the statement declaration falsely declared that he refused entry to the officer and admitted to watch the news on television. The case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence, with Mr Stuart since filing a formal complaint and a No Licence Needed declaration.

The dismissal of the SJPN came as Mr Stuart found a loophole within current TV licensing rules. According to the TV Licensing website, a licence is needed to watch:

• All TV channels - like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U&Dave and international channels
• Pay TV services - like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV
• Live TV on streaming services - like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video
• Everything on BBC iPlayer

This requirement is applicable if you are watching live, recording and downloading content. If you are watching on a portable device away from home that is not connected to mains power, you will be covered if you already have a TV licence at your primary address. Students are also covered by their out-of-term address.

However, you can still enjoy content without paying a penny, as seen in Mr Stuart’s case. The TV Licensing website says that you can legally watch this content without a licence:

• Catch up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer, such as ITVX, All4 and My5
• On demand films or TV shows that you watch, rent or buy online from providers like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sky, EE TV, Sky, Apple TV+, Disney+ or NOW TV
• S4C programmes on demand
• DVDs or Blu-rays
• YouTube streamers' videos or clips live or recorded