The Government is about to close the TV licence loophole.

Another change in the TV licence law is about to hit us, and it will mean that people will no longer be allowed to use BBC iPlayer without a TV licence.

The culture secretary John Whittingdale has said that the BBC would only work if everyone who watched it paid for it and is now determined to put an end to those getting ‘a free ride’ by watching popular shows like Sherlock and The Great British Bakeoff online via the BBC iPlayer.

Currently, the BBC iPlayer is available to anybody in the UK who wishes to watch BBC shows with no login required, but now it has been confirmed that changes were definitely going to go ahead to close that loophole.

The Culture Secretary said today: ”When the Licence fee was invented, video on demand did not exist.

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.

‘So, having discussed this with the BBC and the BBC Trust, 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.’

SO looks like the ‘free ride’ is soon to be over for us iPlayer enthusiasts. If you struggle to understand the BBC charge then here it is explained.