BBC considers using iPlayer to catch out licence fee dodgers
How iPlayer could be used to track down licence fee dodgers
- The BBC is exploring plans to utilise data from its iPlayer platform to help identify households watching without a TV licence.
- New proposals could link individuals' online BBC accounts to their home addresses, providing TV Licensing with a new tool to track potential evasion.
- A TV licence, currently costing £174.50 annually, is legally required for anyone watching or recording live television or streaming programmes on BBC iPlayer.
- An estimated £550m was lost to licence fee evasion in 2024-25, with failure to pay potentially leading to a fine of up to £1,000.
- These plans come as outgoing BBC Director-General Tim Davie warned the corporation faces "profound jeopardy" unless the current licence fee system is overhauled.