Do you actually need a TV licence? When you can legally go without

You need a TV licence if you watch or record programmes as they're being shown on any channel (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, etc.), whether on a TV, laptop, phone, or tablet. This applies to live streams from any broadcaster, not just the BBC.

You also need one if you watch or download anything on BBC iPlayer, even on-demand catch-up content. This rule was introduced in 2016 and catches many people off guard.

Importantly, it's per household, not per device. One licence covers every device in your home. If you live in a shared house where each person has a separate tenancy agreement, each person needs their own licence.

You don't need a TV licence if you only watch on-demand or catch-up content from services other than BBC iPlayer. That means Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, ITVX (on-demand only) and Channel 4's streaming service (on-demand only) are all licence-free.

If you never watch live TV on any channel and never use BBC iPlayer, you're legally in the clear. You do need to make a declaration on the TV Licensing website, but there's no charge for this.

Many young people, particularly students and renters, find they genuinely don't watch live TV or BBC content. If that's you, cancelling your licence is a straightforward way to save £180 per year.

Visit tvlicensing.co.uk and complete a No Licence Needed declaration. You'll need to confirm that nobody at your address watches live TV or uses BBC iPlayer.

If you're mid-way through a licence, you can cancel and get a refund for any complete remaining quarters. The process takes a few minutes online.

After cancelling, you may receive letters from TV Licensing. These are automated and don't carry legal weight, you've made your declaration and you're covered. Enforcement officers can visit, but you're under no obligation to let them in.

Here is the maths: a TV licence costs £180 a year, or £15 a month. For similar money you could have one or two of the cheaper ad-supported streaming plans (check current prices, as they change often).

Add free on-demand services like YouTube, ITVX and Channel 4's streaming service, and there is plenty to watch.

Remember that watching any channel live, on any service or device, needs a licence, so free live-TV apps are not a way round it. For sport, check whether the event is live (licence needed) or a replay you can watch on demand.

£180 a year is £15 a month, enough to make real progress on a savings challenge. Set up a standing order for that amount into your savings account on the day your licence would have been paid.

Over five years that is £900, plus interest. Over ten years at 4% interest, it would grow to around £2,200 from a single cancelled bill.

If you prefer saving little and often, SYM tells you how much to put aside each day and one tap logs it, so the money you no longer spend on the licence goes somewhere useful.