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17 January 2022

How does the cost of the BBC TV licence compare to streaming?

At £13.25 a month, the licence fee is cheaper than Netflix’s premium tier and Sky’s streaming service.

By Nicu Calcea

The Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has announced the BBC licence fee will be frozen for the next two years and then abolished from 2027 if the Conservatives are still in power. “The days of the elderly being threatened with prison sentences and bailiffs knocking on doors are over,” Dorries declared. 

But how does the £159-a-year licence fee compare to the cost charged by rival services? The BBC licence fee – at £13.25 a month – is more expensive than Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Netflix’s standard and basic plans, but cheaper than Netflix’s premium tier and Sky’s streaming service. 

 

Some groups, such as the over-75s who receive Pension Credit, are exempt from the BBC licence fee, while those with a severe vision impairment can receive a 50 per cent concession. A TV licence is currently required of any household watching or recording live television in Britain, regardless of whether this is through a TV or computer. 

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