Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Sophie McCoid

TV licence fee set to rise from April 1

The cost of an annual TV licence is set to go up from April 1.

The licence fee is set by the government in line with inflation and this year will increase from £157.50 to £159.

The new cost equates to 43p per day, according to the broadcaster.

Those buying or renewing a licence after April 1 2021 will pay the new fee, while those already buying a licence on an instalment scheme which started before that date, such as via a monthly direct debit or weekly cash payments, will continue to make payments totalling £157.50 until their licence comes up for renewal.

The cost of an annual black and white licence will rise from £53.00 to £53.50.

The licence fee model has come under fire recently amidst criticism of the broadcaster over equal pay, diversity and competition from streaming services such as Netflix, as well as the abolition of free TV licences for all over-75s.

Last year the BBC's new director-general Tim Davie said the licence fee model was the best way of funding the BBC.

He told an Ofcom conference: "I haven't seen a model that beats the current one at the moment, a universally funded licence fee.

"The vast majority of households think it offers very good value. That's what the BBC needs to focus on. Under my leadership, we'll focus on that."

Last month the Government said it is not going ahead with plans to decriminalise non-payment of the licence fee but will keep the issue under "active consideration".

Keep up to date with local news in your area by adding your postcode below

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said switching to a civil enforcement system risked being seen as an "invitation" to evade the fee and could ultimately reward those who declined to pay.

But he said the Government remained concerned that a criminal sanction was "disproportionate and unfair" in the current public service broadcasting landscape.

The BBC has previously warned that decriminalising licence fee evasion and switching to a civil system would cost it more than £1 billion and lead to significant cuts to programmes and services.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.