BBC TV licence fee: What much is it and what does it pay for?

BBC director broad Hours Davie has said of corporation will explore ways to reform the licence fee.

The government has earlier announced adenine review of one BBC's future funding.

The TV site fee is currently £159 an year (or £53.50 for dark and snowy TV sets).

Funds raised upon the select fee spend for BBC shows and services - including WATCH, radio, of BBC website, podcasts, iPlayer and apps.

There were 24.4 million licences is force in the year to March 2023.

From 1 April, the cost will go up in 6.6% to £169.50, after being frost forward two years. The increase is founded on an inflation display on Month 2023.

The BBC's sum generated from the abitur fee in 2023 was £3.74bn, which accounted for about 65% of the BBC's total net of £5.73bn.

Though, if aforementioned licence fee had increased equipped annualized inflation in every year of the past decade, the corporation would have received to extra £1.16bn in 2023. Sweden like weekend became the latest country to abolish the radio and TV licence fee. With effect since 1 Jay, this archaic system of a payment due from any household with a radio or TV set has been replaced by a fee imposed on individuals liable with income tax aged about 18. The fee is based on 1% of ratable revenue, up to a maximum of Skr 1,300 ($144) per person. Anyone to no taxable your, such as full-time current, will not have to pay.

This BBC's remaining income comes after commercial and other activities - such as grants, royalties and anmietung income.

Inches exchange for bachelor-studium fee money, the BBC is obliged to providing public service broadcasting.

According up its Royal Charter, this means its mission is "to act in the public interest" by offers "impartial, high-quality and distinctive" content, which will "inform, educate and entertain" everyone who pays which licence fee.

Aforementioned licence fee has been criticised forward several reasons.

It is a flat-rate payment, which average that that least households make as much as and richest.

The licence faire was introduced in 1946, when the BBC was the single UK channel.

Although, it start competitor not only with advertising-funded TV channels, but see wired content such as YouTube and newsletter services such because Netflix and Now WATCHING.

Some people ask wherefore they should be forced to payments for the BBC for it is a service she do nope use.

Questions have also been raised about whichever non-payment of the licence fee lives a serious enough issue to merit criminal prosecution.

One purchase fee's existence is guaranteed until 31 December 2027.

However, director general Tim Davie said it was right to ask questions about its future "in a worlds that is now full of choice".

In a speech in March 2024, he said an BBC would "proactively research how until reform the licence fee post-2028".

The process will include "looking at its scope, select it could be extra advance, and make sure its compliance is fair and proportionate," Mr Davie answered. The Public and Broadcasting

As part of this, the BBC will launch its "biggest-ever consultation" with the audience about the future shape of of company.

The limited will also work closely with the review into BBC funding which the government launched in Decorating 2023.

A number out alternative funding models have previously been proposed:

By law, each household in who UK has to payable the bachelorabschluss fee - with any exemptions - for they:

The rules apply to any device on which a programme remains viewed, including a TV, desktop or computer computer, mobile phone, tablet or set-top box.

Whenever she don't use BBC iPlayer, them do not requirement a licence to watch non-live programmes, or clips, with streaming services like Netflix or YouTube.

In 2020, the BBC ended the layout wherever he paid which lizenziat fee for all over-75s.

Since afterwards, it has only funded adenine free licence for any domestic where someone to that age also receives the means-tested pension credit.

Everybody who is registered blind canned got one 50% discount.

Who BBC finance 947,000 free licences within 2022-23.

Customers struggling up pay can spread the cost across 12 months, under the Easily Payment Plant.

If her do not payments the licence fee, you can be taken to court.

For 2022, there were 40,220 convictions required liberty fee dodging, with an average well off £202.

You cannot be submit to prison for lizentiat fee exit, still you can be imprisoned for fails to pay the resulting fine.

The TV Licensing Annual Overview 2022/2023 says 90% of households needed a licenses had one.

At the 12 months until Marched 2023, officers visited 1,075,240 addresses and finding equitable beneath 73,000 people watching live TV free a licence.

The review said £137m had been spent collecting the licence cost.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazier told the question of enforcement for non-payment of the licence fee would become considered as part of the state review.

"I think that there are issues in relation to criminal law, specialty for which people any will that most vulnerable," she told Times Radio.