Do I Need A TV Licence? What You Can Legally Watch Without Paying The Fee – And The Rules For Netflix And Amazon Prime Video

CultureTV The cost of the TV licence will rise from £154.50 to £157.50 this year, more than double the price of basic Netflix and Amazon Prime options

Wednesday, 5th February 2020, 5:28 pm

Updated Wednesday, 5th February 2020, 5:33 pm

In an age of Netflix, iPlayer, smartphones and streaming, the situation with TV content has never been more complicated (Photo: Shutterstock)

The annual cost of the BBC licence fee is rising by £3 this year to £157.50, as part of the Government's increases in line with inflation.

By comparison, a year of Netflix costs £71.88 per year for a basic plan or £143.88 for 4K UHD, while Amazon Prime Video membership also costs £71.88 annually.

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In an age of Netflix, iPlayer, smartphones and streaming, the situation with TV content has never been more complicated. For several years, the TV licence only applied to live TV - meaning iPlayer was exempt - but this loophole has since been closed.

When do you need a TV licence?

So when do you need a TV licence? Well, the answer is you pretty much always do if you watch TV, unless you can watch only Netflix and Prime for a year and never even sneak a look at TV channels or iPlayer for the entire year.

If you watch any live TV - including ITV, Channel 4, or Sky channels, you need a licence. If you use BBC iPlayer, on a TV, phone, laptop or any other device, you need a licence.

What TV services do not require a TV licence?

Without a licence, you can legally watch:

Netflix

YouTube

Amazon Prime

DVDs/Blurays

Non-BBC catch-up including ITV Player, Channel 4 on-demand, as long as it's NOT live

But if it was suspected that you were watching live TV or BBC iPlayer, you would need to prove that you are not accessing live TV.

If you cancel your TV licence, you may get a visit from TV Licensing, and if they decide you actually do need a licence, you'll need to pay the full annual licence fee, plus a possible fine of up to £1,000 on top.

What you cannot watch or record if you don't have a TV licence

Any live TV on any Channel including Sky channels

Any BBC iPlayer, live or streamed later

Any +1 Channels

What the law says on the need for a TV licence - according to TVLicensing.Co.Uk

A TV Licence is a legal permission to install or use television receiving equipment to watch or record television programmes as they are being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, and to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer.

This could be on any device, including TVs, desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, games consoles, digital boxes, DVD, Blu-ray and VHS recorders. This applies regardless of which television channels a person receives or how those channels are received.

You don’t need a TV licence just to own or possess a television set (Photo: Shutterstock)

The licence fee is not a payment for BBC services (or any other television service), although licence fee revenue is used to fund the BBC.

The requirement to hold a TV licence and to pay a fee for it is mandated by law under the Communications Act 2003 and Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 (as amended).

It is an offence to watch or record television programmes as they are being shown on any channel and on any broadcast platform (terrestrial, satellite, cable and the internet) or download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer without a valid TV Licence.

Is it legal to watch TV programmes on a laptop or phone without a TV licence?

If you use a laptop (or any other device) to watch or record television programmes as they are being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, or to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer, then, by law, you need to be covered by a TV Licence. So yes, it would be illegal.

Do I need a TV licence if I don't watch BBC?

A TV licence is a legal permission to install or use television equipment to receive (i.E. Watch or record) TV programmes, as they are being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, and to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer.

This applies regardless of which channel you're watching, which device you are using (TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet or any other), and how you receive them (terrestrial, satellite, cable, via the internet or in any other way).

The licence fee is not a subscription to watch BBC programmes but mandated by law. Under the Communications Act 2003, the BBC in its role as the licensing authority has a duty to issue TV licences and collect the licence fee.

Do +1 channels count as live TV?

Yes. So you still have to have a TV Licence.

Do you need a TV licence to own a TV?

You don’t need a TV licence to own or possess a television set. However, if you use it to watch or record programmes as they are being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, or to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer, then you need a TV licence in order to do so.

Do you need a TV licence to watch BBC iPlayer?

Yes, you need to be covered by a TV licence to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer.

This applies to all devices, including a smart TV, desktop computer or laptop, mobile phone, tablet, digital box or games console. Even if you access BBC iPlayer through another provider, such as Sky, Virgin, Freeview or BT, you must have a licence.

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What is the best gaming mouse in 2020? Rodents for every gamer…

The best gaming mouse really depends on whether you’re right-handed or a sinister leftie, which kind of grip you prefer when clasping your gaming mouse, and of course how much cash you have to spend. Oh, and you also need to decide if you’re happy to go with a wired mouse or want to pay a little extra for a wireless rodent. Price is now the only factor in that space as, with modern advances in wireless technology, there’s now practically no difference between the best gaming mouse, whether it’s got a tail or not.

And we’ve tested the best to give you the definitive answer as to whether you should be spending your hard earned cash on the best Razer mouse, Logitech mouse, or Corsair mouse. But don’t forget, there are also some pretty darned tasty SteelSeries mice out there too.

The choices are manifold, but nailing down exactly what you want can be tricky. As ever it’s a delicate balancing act of finding the right mix of features and design. You have to juggle comfort, ergonomics, performance, reliability, specs, and always aesthetics.

What is the best gaming mouse in 2020?

For its simple elegance, versatility, and performance the Logitech G Pro wireless is hands-down the best gaming mouse you can buy right now. Sure, it is rather pricey considering its stripped-back aesthetic, but you would be hard-pressed to find one as reliable, consistent, and user-friendly.

However much you like your angular gamer aesthetic, you could have a mouse which looks like Vader’s own codpiece (we’re looking at you, Mr. Sidewinder) but if it can’t deliver the goods in-game then it’s about as effective a gaming mouse as jabbing a USB cable into a dead hamster. We’ve tested a wide variety of rodents and have finally narrowed down our favourite gaming mice in a selection of categories, as well as the overall best gaming mouse to buy right now.

BEST GAMING MOUSE LOGITECH G pro Wireless

Approx. $127 | £130

G Pro Wireless specs

With only the most worthwhile functionality for gamers, the Wireless Pro makes for esports mouse royalty.

SensorOptical

Max DPI16,000

Buttons4 - 8

Weight80g

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What we like… Wireless Great battery life Ambidextrous Lightweight

Bringing together featherweight ergonomics, a high-performance sensor, and flawless wireless connectivity, the Logitech G Wireless Pro has risen swiftly to the top of our best gaming mice charts. Plus, it’s ambidextrous too.

The Wireless Pro is equipped with interchangeable switches and a DPI switch hidden on the underside of the mouse to avoid accidental button presses getting in the way of the action. And when it comes to gaming prowess, the mouse offers the best performance we’ve experienced in-game. So long as you’re okay spending $150 on a mouse, the Logitech Wireless Pro can’t be beat.

Read our full Logitech G Pro Wireless review.

Great for lefties Logitech G903

Approx. $86 | £115

G903 specs

The G903 is identical to the excellent G900 but with one important addition - the PowerPlay technology.

SensorOptical

Max DPI12,000

Buttons11

Weight107g

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What we like… Wireless Supports Logitech G PowerPlay Ambidextrous

The G903 was the outright best gaming mouse to buy until Logitech stepped its game up with the Wireless Pro. Nevertheless, the G903 is a magnificently versatile gaming rodent that manages to be pretty much all things to all people. For all intents and purposes it is only the slightest of updates to the brilliant G900 Chaos Spectrum, but with compatibility for our favourite bit of wireless tech, the Logitech G PowerPlay.

For a start it’s rocking an ambidextrous design, with only a slight compromise in comfort for either left or right-handed camp, and its ergonomic layout is equally adept at catering for either claw or palm grip gamers. The G903 can also be used either as a wired or wireless gaming mouse, and we’ve detected no compromise in performance should you decide to game sans cable.

Read our full Logitech G903 review.

Great for RGB lighting Roccat Kone Aimo

Approx. $80 | £38

Kone Aimo specs

A chunky, robust gaming mouse, that also manages to make RGB LEDs look real good.

SensorOptical

Max DPI12,000

Buttons10

Weight130g

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What we like… Stunning lighting Well-built Good support

Roccat has created a particularly stylish, well-built, and comfortable mouse with their Kone Aimo. The Owl-Eye optical sensor is responsive and will reach up to 12,000 DPI because… why not? The mouse will almost definitely be larger than you initially guessed. It’s surprisingly chunky, yet feels exceptionally well-built and offers plenty of support for your palm to lift off the mat.

The Aimo lighting breaks out through multiple zones of the exposed underbelly of the mouse, which displays a vibrant and glowing spectrum of complementary colours – something a little different from the usual fare. The non-Aimo two-tone illumination is, in itself, one of the most visually stunning RGB LED implementations we’ve seen, and without going over the top. We only had a compatible mouse at the time of testing, but the Aimo lighting will sync across any of Roccat’s supported devices.

Read our full Roccat Kone AIMO review.

Great for custom weight CORSAIR M65 RGB Elite

Approx. $50 | £50

M65 RGB Elite specs

The M65 Pro was one of our favourite mice, and with a new sensor and a great price it's still a great call.

SensorOptical

Max DPI18,000

Buttons8

Weight97 - 115g

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What we like… Solid optical sensor Sturdy construction Removable weights

With a price tag equal to the great M65 Pro before it, there’s little reason not to pick up the new and improved Elite instead. The glide pads make sure it doesn’t feel sluggish, and removable weights on the underside mean you can bring the overall weight down to 97g if it’s bothering you. The sturdy construction and braided cable gives the M65 Elite a feeling of quality, even if it’s something of an acquired taste.

It’s not quite our pick for the top mouse of all time, but it’s cheaper than many of our other favourites. It’s functional, comfy, and has that quality stamp of approval we’ve come to expect from Corsair, and while it may not be revolutionary, there’s a lot to like about about the M65 Elite.

Read our full Corsair M65 Elite review.

Great for laser sensor fans Razer Mamba Tournament Edition

Approx. $78 | £90

Mamba TE specs

One of the best, most-comfortable Razer mouse designs in history, built around a reliable laser sensor.

SensorLaser

Max DPI16,000

Buttons9

Weight133g

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What we like… Light Versatile Comfortable

There are some people who prefer laser sensors in their mice and the Philips sensor in the Mamba is still an excellent option. With the hardware acceleration you might think they’re crazy, but laser sensors care not for the surface they skim across so can be a more versatile option if you’re travelling around sans mat.

The Mamba is also an incredibly comfortable gaming mouse, with a relatively light touch too. It doesn’t glide across your desktop quite as well as the Logitech options, but it’s still a great gaming mouse in its own right.

Best MMO gaming mouse Razer Naga Trinity

Approx. $63 | £80

Naga Trinity

Another fantastic mouse, updating its classic Naga design to cater for all-comers and not just the MMO crowd.

SensorOptical

Max DPI16,000

Buttons19

Weight120g

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What we like… Versatile Interchangeable layout Comfortable

Razer’s Naga has long been synonymous with many-buttoned MMO mice, but, if we’re being honest, they were incredibly annoying to use for any other game type. All those extra buttons, arrayed in a grid of 12 around your thumb, were constantly responsible for errant thumb strikes, either adding extra digits and modifiers into your essays, emails, or instant messages, or activating some weird feature you didn’t know existed in other games.

But the Naga Trinity has removed that problem, while still retaining the ability to use the classic 12-button grid for your favourite MMO or MOBA. The special sauce is a magnetic attachment mechanism that allows you to remove the whole side panel of the mouse without doing anything more than levering it off. It’s completely hot-swappable so you can add or remove any of the three interchangeable panels at will without having to dig into the settings or unplug it. There’s the 12-button panel, a seven-button version arranged in a wheel, and a simple two-button design for basic use.

Read our full Razer Naga Trinity review.

Great for versatility SteelSeries Rival 500

Approx. $80 | £80

Rival 500 specs

This smart mouse doesn't have the breadth of buttonry as the Naga, but it's smartly designed.

SensorOptical

Max DPI16,000

Buttons 15

Weight129g

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What we like… Affordable 15 buttons Ergonomic

The SteelSeries Rival 500 is a mighty little mouse and once topped our list for the best MMO gaming rodent. It doesn’t have the vast number of thumb buttons as either the Nyth or the latest Razer Naga, but that doesn’t necessarily put it at a disadvantage. My thumb gets confused when there are too many button-y options waiting to be clicked on, which is why the versatility of the Naga Trinity works so well.

That also doesn’t mean the Rival 500 is lacking in those stakes – there are still 15 configurable buttons arrayed around the Rival 500, but they’re more evenly spaced out. As well as buttons around your thumb SteelSeries has also placed three extra buttons on the top for your index and second fingers to manage. I’m also a fan of the chunky design aesthetic and the fact that it doesn’t feel as lightweight as a lot of the recent gaming mice I’ve tested. It’s a great MMO mouse then, and it’s also not going to break the bank either.

Great for customisable buttons Roccat Nyth

Approx. $87 | £65

Nyth specs

Like the Razer Naga the Nyth allows you to customise the thumb buttons however you wish.

SensorLaser

Max DPI12,000

Buttons18

Weight126g

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What we like… Configurable layout Plenty of button options Well-built

The many-buttoned Roccat Nyth was our previous pick as the best MMO mouse around, and it still makes for a great configurable option. The Philips laser sensor is impressively accurate and the different optional grips make it a versatile gaming mouse, if a little too chunky.

The biggest tick in the pro column for the Nyth is the way it arranges its extra thumb buttons. You can have as few as three extra buttons or as many as 12 and any combination in between.

Best cheap gaming mouse Corsair Harpoon RGB

Approx. $30 | £17

Harpoon RGB specs

A solid optical sensor, a lightweight chassis, and RGB LEDs... what more could you want from a cheap mouse?

SensorOptical

Max DPI6,000

Buttons6

Weight85g

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What we like… Great value High quality Solid all-round sensor

The Corsair Harpoon RGB (gotta have RGB) is not necessarily a great gaming mouse. What it is, however, is a great-value one. The 6,000 DPI optical sensor at its heart is a Pixart 3320, offering the 1:1 tracking we’ve come to love their latest sensors for, but without the extreme sensitivity that makes them perfect for high-res displays. It’s also incredibly lightweight and will fly across your desktop.

Where it falls down slightly, for me, is in the ergonomics. I’m not a fan of the design purely from a comfort stance. As a dyed-in-the-wool claw grip gamer it doesn’t have the long-term comfort that I need, though for the palm grip it is feels a lot more well-designed. But for the money you can’t argue with the tech on offer.

Great for wireless connectivity CORSAIR HARPOON RGB WIRELESS

Approx. $50 | £55

Harpoon specs

Cut the cord and pick up lag-free performance for just $50.

SensorOptical

Max DPI10,000

Buttons6

Weight99g

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What we like… Wireless Lengthy battery life Cheap

The Corsair Harpoon Wireless sure packs a punch for only 50 bucks. Few wireless devices offer such a balanced and impressive blend of performance and value, and the Corsair brand sure nets you a few added benefits, too – including some of the best software in the game and trusted quality assurance.

It’s hard to believe that for less than the price of some of the wired, mid-tier rodents on this list that you can net yourself wireless chops. Not only that but great wireless performance thanks to Corsair’s Slipstream tech. If you’re hoping to ditch wires and keep to a budget, the Harpoon RGB Wireless is the mouse for you.

Read our full Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless review.

BEST Wireless MOUSE LOGITECH G Pro WIRELESS

Approx. $127 | £130

G Pro Wireless specs

With only the most worthwhile functionality for gamers, the Wireless Pro makes for esports mouse royalty.

SensorOptical

Max DPI16,000

Buttons4 - 8

Weight80g

Network N earns commission from qualifying purchases via Amazon Associates and other programs.

What we like… Wireless Great battery life Ambidextrous Lightweight

Thanks to the battery-saving ability of the HERO sensor – somewhere in the range of 60 hours with the LEDs off – charge needn’t be an issue with the Wireless Pro. You can always double-down on a PowerPlay mat for totally hassle-free charging, anyways.

Logitech’s wireless connectivity is flawless, too. Both reliable and consistent, the days of wireless lagging behind their wired counterparts are long gone. And if you need convincing, just take a look at some of the best esports players on the planet and you’ll notice they prefer the fluid motion of a wireless mouse over a wired alternative. And if it’s good enough for the pros, then it’s probably just fine for the regular gamer.

Great for battery life Logitech G903

Approx. $86 | £115

G903 specs

It's practically impossible to detect any lag, and you don't have to ever plug in to charge. Totes wireless.

SensorOptical

Max DPI12,000

Buttons11

Weight107g

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What we like… Wireless Supports Logitech G PowerPlay Ambidextrous

I’ve not used a wireless gaming mouse that felt this reliable and accurate before, and definitely not one with the sort of lengthy battery life the G903 is sporting – even with those flashy RGB LEDs glowing along its spine. The tiny wireless receiver makes it a perfect fit for laptop gamers – the little nubbin barely sticks out at all – but can also attach via a bundled micro-USB adapter if you need a longer lead to snake up onto your desk. I’ve had the nubbin plugged in behind my monitor though and haven’t experienced any connection issues which would necessitate that.

The reason we’ve replaced the almost-identical G900 with this is that the upgraded gaming rodent comes with Logitech PowerPlay support. That means it can keep its battery charged wireless simply by using it on the PowerPlay gaming surface. That makes it the perfect wireless gaming mouse to my mind, and almost worth the exorbitant sticker price for the package. Obviously you have to pay a premium for the wireless connectivity, and the price of the G903 with PowerPlay is somewhat restrictive, but if you’re after one of the best wireless mice around then I’m afraid you’ve got to pay for it.

Great for bargain wireless Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless

Approx. $50 | £55

Harpoon specs

Cut the cord and pick up lag-free performance for just $50.

SensorOptical

Max DPI10,000

Buttons6

Weight99g

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What we like… 2.4GHz and Bluetooth Lengthy battery life Cheap

Not only is the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless one of our top budget mouse picks at only $50, it’s also one of the finest wireless rodents going.

With smooth, lag-free performance powered by Corsair’s Slipstream wireless technology, the Harpoon offers more than enough speed and responsiveness for most gamers. Not only that but it offers 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connectivity, great battery life for on-the-go gaming, and features a handy 2.4GHz dongle slot on its underbelly so you don’t misplace it on your travels.

Picking a gaming mouse is a similar experience to picking out a real-life rodent. You need one that fits your lifestyle, is suited to your space, and is laser or optical to best suit your needs. Okay, I admit, it’s actually nothing like picking a real-life mouse, but it can depend massively on what genre of games you play, whether you are right-handed or devil-handed, and how you hold your mouse.

So it’s hard to pick one to be all and end all mouse that’s unrivalled in every aspect. The Logitech Wireless Pro is our best all-rounder, and is as close to that ultimate mouse as we’ve found so far, but that doesn’t rule out any other mouse on the list.

With its hot-swappable design, the Razer Naga Trinity is unsurpassed for MMO gamers, and its thumb configuration is easily swapped out for gaming in just about any other genre, too. The Corsair Harpoon, too, is a fantastic all-terrain mouse that gives up some of the flash for simple and effective functionality on a budget.