The money goes to fund the BBC, which is Britain’s state-owned broadcasting service. Why is there a TV licence and what does it pay for? After all, no one wants a fine up to £1,000 for breaking rules you didn't know about.

Now that doesn't make it much easier in terms of a blanket answer to the question, but thanks to the publication, here's what you need to know to make sure you stay within the law. So, the big question is, if you use your television set only to watch streaming services, like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus, do you still need a licence? And do you need one if you watch through paid-for services like Sky or Virgin? Well, according to a report in Liverpool Echo, it depends on what you’re watching, and when. READ MORE: Not all Universal Credit claimants will qualify for £301 payment Currently changed at £159 a year, the fee is usually reviewed on April 1 each year - it is expected to be kept at the current rate until April 2024 but we won't know for certain until nearer the time. While there has been debate about scrapping the fee completely by 2027 for now the annual or monthly payment continues. However, if you live in the UK and want to watch live TV or use the BBC's iPlayer service then that licence must be bought for your home. But with streaming, on demand and catch-up in the mix, the 'do I need one or not' debate can be confusing. In the days of having three or four channels on the box in the corner of the room, life was easy. Do you need a licence to stream? What if you only watch certain channels? Well it seems that many people may wrongly think that they do not need to pay for a TV licence when in fact they do - and if that's you, then you are breaking the law and in line for a pretty hefty fine. There is often some confusion when it comes to the UK's TV licence.

Bbc iplayer tv license