Abolish the TV Licence

The TV Licence is no longer fit for purpose and should be abolished. It is unfair that one should hold one to watch Freeview channels or indeed subscription TV. The BBC should look at alternative methods of funding particularly as it is commonly felt there is a high level of bias.

The new BBC Royal Charter came into effect in January 2017, following the Charter Review process, which was one of the biggest consultation exercises undertaken by government. This extensive process of consultation and evidence gathering included 192,000 consultation responses and engagement with over 300 organisations and experts.

We considered the question of funding during the BBC Charter Review process. While no funding model meets all the criteria of an ideal system, the current model provides the BBC with a sustainable core income paid by all households that watch or receive television. This model also has wider public support than any alternative - 60% of consultation responses indicated that no change was needed to the current licence fee model, and only 3% favoured full subscription funding. That is why we have committed to maintain the licence fee funding model for the BBC for the duration of this new 11 year Charter period.

The BBC has committed to consider whether elements of subscription have a role to play in its future funding, alongside the core licence fee model. It is for the BBC to set the scope of these plans, but the government expects that progress and success will be appropriately reviewed, to feed into the next Charter Review process.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport