Amazon Fire Stick users face a £1,000 fine for watching Glastonbury,
It is the most hotly anticipated music festival of the summer.
But if you try to tune in to Glastonbury this weekend on your Amazon Fire Stick, you might end up facing a massive fine.
Using a Fire Stick means you will be able to watch all the action streaming on BBC iPlayer from 19:00 BST on Friday.
However, you could face a fine of up to £1,000 if you don’t have a TV licence – that’s almost three times more than a ticket to see Glastonbury live.
The issue is that Glastonbury is a live broadcast, which you’ll need a TV licence to watch.
At £174.50 per year, this isn’t cheap – but it is certainly less expensive than the hefty fee you’ll face if you ignore it.
‘Not paying for a TV Licence could lead to a £1,000 fine if we find that you have been watching, recording or downloading programmes illegally,’ TV Licensing explains on its website.
‘The maximum fine is £2,000 in Guernsey. Plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.’
Amazon Fire Sticks’ main appeal is that they give users access to a mixture of popular streaming services, including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+.
However, a lesser-known benefit is that they also let you access a wide range of BBC content.
Earlier this year, Amazon quietly added the option to watch 10 BBC channels through the ‘live’ tab on the Fire Stick.
Those include BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC News, BBC Scotland, and BBC Alba, as well as BBC iPlayer.
Although you don’t need a TV licence to watch on-demand streaming services, you do need one to watch anything on BBC iPlayer.
That means tuning into Glastonbury through the BBC’s streaming service is a breach of the rules.
Likewise, you also need a TV licence if you watch any live broadcasts like Glastonbury.
This includes any live broadcasts, such as sporting events, on streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
TV Licensing explains: ‘You need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch live on streaming services – such as ITVX, Channel 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now, Sky Go, YouTube, Netflix and Freely.
‘You don’t need a TV Licence if you never watch live on any channel, pay TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer.’
These rules also apply to anything that has been broadcast live in the past, even if you’re watching a recording on catch-up services.
So it won’t matter if you watch the Glastonbury broadcast as it happens or catch up the next day, you still need a licence to avoid getting fined.
The cost of a TV Licence recently increased by £5 per year, rising from £169.50 to £174.50 on April 1.
While you can pay this in one go, most people choose to spread the cost by Direct Debit – this works out at £14.54 per month.
‘We could visit your address to confirm if you need a TV Licence,’ TV Licensing warned.
‘If we find that you have been watching, recording or streaming programmes illegally, you risk prosecution and a fine for not having a TV Licence of up to £1,000 plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.’
WHAT ARE THE VIDEO STREAMING OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO UK CUSTOMERS?
Netflix
Price: £5.99 a month (with ads) OR £12.99/month for Standard OR £18.99/month for Premium
Hit shows:
- Bridgerton
- Squid Game
- Black Mirror
Amazon Prime
Price: £8.99 per month OR £95 per year
Hit shows:
- Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
- The Boys
Apple TV+
Price: £8.99 a month
Hit shows:
- Ted Lasso
- For All Mankind
Disney+
Price: £4.99 a month (with ads) OR £8.99/month for Standard OR £12.99/month for Premium
Hit shows:
- Star Wars
- The Simpsons
NOW TV
Price: From £6.99 a month (6 month) or £9.99 (flexible)
Hit shows:
- Game of Thrones
- Chernobyl
hayu
Price: £4.99 a month
Hit shows:
- Keeping up with the Kardashians
- Made in Chelsea
BritBox (on ITVX)
Price: £5.99 a month OR £59.99 a year
Hit shows:
- Spitting Image
- Midsomer Murders
Prices correct as of March 2025
