Warning to Netflix and Disney Plus users over | European Markets

UK households who subscribe to Netflix and Disney Plus could face an further charge of up to £174.50 below new plans.

The UK authorities is reportedly exploring new measures to develop the TV licence charge in a bid to safeguard the long run of the BBC.

One proposal that’s below review is to introduce a charge for non-live viewing for the primary time, in a transfer that will have an effect on 1000’s of people who use streaming providers.

If carried out, the plan would drive Netflix and Disney Plus customers to pay for a TV licence which is able to value £174.50 from April this yr.

Different choices being thought-about embrace permitting the BBC to make use of promoting, creating a standalone charge for streaming providers, or asking BBC Radio listeners to pay, sources instructed Bloomberg.

Tradition Secretary Lisa Nandy stated in November that streaming providers and altering viewing habits have posed actual challenges for the BBC, however she insisted she is dedicated to upholding the licence charge till no less than 2027, when a review of the BBC’s Royal Constitution is due. It will contain a public session in regards to the BBC’s future and means any modifications are unlikely to be carried out earlier than then.

At present, a TV licence prices £169.50 per yr however it’s going up from April, including an further £5, or 42p per thirty days, to family payments. The charge applies to any family that watches or information dwell TV on any channel or service, or makes use of BBC iPlayer, however in the event you’re aged 75 or over and are claiming Pension Credit score, you will get a TV Licence fully free.

If you happen to don’t meet the eligibility standards for Pension Credit score there are different methods to cut back the price of your TV licence invoice, or keep away from it altogether.

TV licences are per family, not per individual, so in the event you dwell in a home with a number of people you don’t all need to have one in some instances and will all chip in to share the price of one licence.

You may share a TV licence among the many entire family in the event you watch TV in a single shared space, or have a joint tenancy settlement. However when you’ve got separate tenancy agreements and watch TV in your own room then you’ll need to pay to your own.

You additionally don’t need a TV licence to watch streaming providers, comparable to Netflix and Disney Plus, on-demand TV by way of providers like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, videos on web sites comparable to YouTube, or DVDs and Blurays.

So in the event you’re completely happy to simply keep on with watching any of these, and never watch or document any dwell TV or BBC iPlayer, it can save you your self £174.50. However in the event you do watch or document dwell TV with out a legitimate TV licence then you definately will be issued a nice of up to £1,000.

A BBC spokesperson stated: “We want everyone to get value from the BBC, which is why we’re focused on delivering what audiences want from us – trusted news, the best homegrown storytelling and the moments that bring us together.

“The public cares about the BBC and this year, we will launch our biggest ever public engagement exercise so audiences can help drive and shape what they want from a universal and independent BBC in the future.

“We look forward to engaging with government on the next Charter and securing the long term future of the BBC.”