BBC using new 'crackdown' method to catch people out streaming without a TV license
The BBC are set to employ a new 'crackdown' method as it looks to eradicate live television viewership for those without a TV license.
In a world where the prices of streaming services are shooting through the roof, more and more members of the general public are seemingly seeking alternative ways of watching their tellies.
Police have long sought to clamp down on those who use 'dodgy' fire sticks as a way of accessing more television channels illegally, and now it seems as if plenty aren't bothering to pay the TV license that permits them to enjoy live action.
Anyone who wants to watch live football or significant world events should be paying the fee, while you'd argue that the annual £174.50 fee for a household is worth it just to enjoy The Traitors.
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However, it's clearly become a big problem for the BBC that too many households are getting away with not having one, and a new method using BBC iPlayer is now being deployed in the aim of identifying license fee evasion.
The BBC took in £3.8bn from the licence fee in 2024-25, but around £550m is estimated to have been lost through evasion.
The Telegraph now suggests that the BBC plans to use the data users input into iPlayer, namely their email address, date of birth and postcode, as a way of identifying exactly where TV licenses haven't been purchased.
The iPlayer accounts, which are used for BBC radio and television programmes, will then be linked to a database that tracks whether or not a household is registered for a TV licence.
Danny Cohen, the former director of BBC Television, said: “It makes a lot of sense to use digital data to track who is using the BBC and who should be paying the licence fee.
“This is valuable but it’s a drop in the ocean compared with bigger questions about how the BBC funds itself in the future and survives amid global competition.”
A report last month suggested that the TV license could be scrapped entirely, with certain programmes put behind a paywall, but it seems as if the corporation's immediate plans for fundraising involve eliminating evasion entirely.
TV licensing made almost two million visits to unlicensed homes between 2024 and 2025, but the company acknowledged that this was becoming 'less effective' with many people choosing simply to not answer their door.
“This increase did not lead to a proportional rise in households interviewed under caution or purchasing a licence,” the report said.
“While enforcement has traditionally relied on household visits, this approach is becoming less effective [...] The BBC noted that it has become harder to get people to answer their doors compared to five years ago, which limits the enforcement effectiveness.”
MPs have long suggested that more needs to be done to make sure that everyone pays the license fee, as it makes it unfair on those who do, with the broadcaster assuring that the new iPlayer plans are already underway.
“This is an ongoing project,” it said.
It added: “Online viewing through a BBC account is based on an individual, whereas the TV licence covers a whole household. The BBC is working on projects to link individual BBC accounts to households, to better understand viewing habits.”
A TV Licensing spokesman said: “We always look at ways to improve how we collect the licence fee. This includes using the data available to us to get a better understanding of viewing habits and use of BBC services.”
James Moorhouse