Government to close BBC iPlayer licence fee loophole 'as soon as practicable'

A loophole allowing people to catch-up on TV using the BBC iPlayer without paying for a licence is to be closed "as soon as practicable", the Culture Secretary has said.

The licence fee currently only applies to live viewers, but John Whittingdale said it will be extended to the online catch-up service.

The BBC estimates the iPlayer loophole will cost around £100 million a year by 2021 to 2022 unless it is closed.

Policing options include asking viewers to sign into iPlayer and monitoring whether the households accessing the service pay the licence fee.

Speaking at the Oxford Media Convention, Mr Whittingdale said: "I will be bringing forward, as soon as practicable, secondary legislation which will extend the current TV licensing regime not only to cover those watching the BBC live, but also those watching the BBC on catch-up through the iPlayer.

"When the licence fee was invented, video on demand did not exist.

"And while the definition of television in the legislation covers live streaming, it does not require viewers to have a licence if they watch BBC programmes through the iPlayer even if it is just a few minutes after transmission.

"The BBC works on the basis that all who watch it pay for it. Giving a free ride to those who enjoy Sherlock or Bake Off an hour, a day or a week after they are broadcast was never intended and is wrong."

An order will need to be drafted and agreed by Parliament on the change.

Mr Whittingdale said he would do it during the current Parliamentary session if possible.