The Culture Secretary has slammed the TV licence fee as 'unenforceable and unfair to women'. It comes alongside a suggestion that a system based on a 'sliding scale' might work as an alternative.
Lisa Nandy has firmly dismissed the idea of funding the BBC through general taxation. In November last year, the MP announced that the UK Government would explore alternative funding methods during the BBC's Royal Charter review.
The TV licence fee rose from £169.50 to £174.50 at the start of April and is set to increase annually with inflation until 2027. The government remains open to rethinking the future of this charge.
With a growing trend of viewers turning to streaming services over traditional TV, fewer households are paying the licence fee. The MP for Wigan admitted to the Telegraph that "there are problems with the licence fee", as reported by the Daily Record.
She said: "Fewer and fewer people are paying it. It's unenforceable, and particularly I've been very concerned about the way it's been enforced in the past, with women, particularly vulnerable women, targeted for enforcement action, and the BBC itself has accepted that.
"So, we know that there are problems with the licence fee system as it currently exists. We're about to kick off the charter review and as part of that we're reviewing the licence fee."
She also expressed her openness to a different system but said that the Government "hasn't put forward any preferred options at this stage." She invited the public to suggest what "a fairer, more sustainable system would look like."
Ms Nandy continued: "We know that the licence fee and the BBC as a whole has to command public support in order to survive and thrive, and that's why we're putting the power back into the public's hands to be able to drive that conversation.
The BBC initiated a poll in March, which it labelled as the corporation's 'biggest-ever public engagement exercise', and announced it would inform the upcoming charter review. Questions included:
This rise follows years in which the licence fee was initially frozen and then increased at a slower pace than the BBC anticipated, leaving the corporation increasingly strapped for cash. In 2023, the corporation released a review into gender disparity and the licence fee, which attributed the gender disparity to "societal factors", not enforcement, after observing that around 75% of those convicted for evasion are women.
It also proposed a 10-point action plan for the TV licensing body, which included supporting "people in financial hardship and debt", and assisting "people stay licensed and avoid prosecution".
A BBC spokeswoman said: "The public cares about the BBC and we have launched our biggest-ever public engagement exercise, so audiences can help drive and shape what they want from a universal and independent BBC in the future. We want to continue to reform and evolve and look forward to engaging with the UK Government on the next charter and securing the long-term future of the BBC."
The latest figures published by the 2024 TV Licensing annual review revealed that "approximately 89 per cent of addresses that need a TV licence have one". It also claimed that there was an 11% "evasion" rate.
A TV licence is needed in the UK to watch or record any programmes as they are being broadcast live on television. It is also required to watch or stream live programming on any online TV streaming service, such as BBC iPlayer, Sky Go, Amazon prime and YouTube.
You can check if you need a TV licence on the TV Licensing website here. It now costs £174.50 and various payment options are available, such as paying in full or spreading the cost monthly.
There are special discounted rates for specific groups. Residents of care homes might even qualify for a free licence or a concessionary rate through the Accommodation for Residential Care scheme - details are available online.
If you're already a recipient of Pension Credit, you can apply for your complimentary over-75 TV Licence when you reach the age of 74. TV Licensing will adjust your payments to ensure coverage until your 75th birthday, after which your free licence will take effect.
Blind people are eligible for a 50% discount on their TV Licence (£87.25) and might also be able to claim refunds on previous payments if they were the registered holder.
If you believe you qualify for a free licence but don't currently possess a TV licence, dial 0300 790 6117 and speak with an advisor to request an application form. The lines are open from Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 6.30pm.
