TV Licence

Should media be treated like a public service?

Or like a consumer product you only pay for what you use?

The TV licence is one of the most controversial policies in Britain.

Once created to fund a single public broadcaster in a world with no alternatives, it now applies in a landscape of hundreds of streaming platforms, smart devices, and global media giants. This page breaks down exactly what the licence is, where your money goes, who has to pay it, how it's enforced, and whether it still makes sense in the modern world. We also ask the question no one in power seems willing to: should the public be forced to fund a broadcaster they may not even use?

What Is the TV Licence?

  • The TV licence is a mandatory annual fee of £159 per household.

  • You must pay it if you:

    • Watch or record live TV on any channel (not just the BBC)

    • Use BBC iPlayer, even for catch-up

  • You do not need it if you only watch on-demand content on platforms like Netflix, Disney+, or YouTube (unless it's live).

Where Does the Money Go?

For every £1 of your licence fee:

  • 29p funds BBC TV channels (BBC One, Two, etc.)

  • 20p goes to BBC radio (national and local)

  • 12p funds BBC News

  • 10p supports regional services

  • 8p goes to BBC iPlayer

  • 7p for children’s content

  • 5p covers administration and overheads

  • Other small portions go to BBC Sounds, online content, S4C (Welsh TV), and infrastructure

Who Must Pay?

  • All UK households using live TV or BBC iPlayer

  • You can be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000 if you don’t pay and are caught

  • Over-75s only get a free licence if they receive Pension Credit

How Did We Get Here?

  • TV licences began in 1946 when there was just one BBC TV channel.

  • Back then, there were no alternatives: no streaming, no cable, no YouTube.

  • Today, most people have hundreds of channels, smart TVs, phones, and subscription services — but the licence model remains largely unchanged.

Is This Democratic?

  • No. The licence fee is maintained through the BBC Royal Charter, issued by the monarch on the advice of the government.

  • The public does not get a vote.

  • While there’s consultation, the decision is ultimately made by ministers — not Parliament or the people.

Is It Fair?

Critics say:

  • It’s a flat tax — you pay the same whether you’re rich or poor.

  • You could never watch the BBC, but still be legally forced to pay if you watch any live TV.

  • Criminal enforcement targets vulnerable people, especially older women and low-income households.

Supporters say:

  • It funds impartial, public service broadcasting.

  • It keeps news, documentaries, and culture free from corporate advertising.

  • The BBC is a national institution worth preserving.

What Do Other Countries Do?

CountryHow They Fund Public Media

Germany Universal household levy (paid by all)

France General taxation (since 2022)

Nordic Nations Tax-funded, no separate licence fee

USA Public media funded by donations and grants

Japan Mandatory NHK fee (often bundled with bills)

The People’s Verdict

  • Most polling shows around 60% of UK residents want the licence fee reformed or scrapped.

  • Younger people are the most opposed — they stream, don’t watch live TV, and don’t see why they should pay.

  • Older people feel loyal to the BBC — but many can’t afford the fee.

What’s Next?

  • The current BBC Charter runs until 2027.

  • All major political parties are reviewing the model:

    • Conservatives: Want to replace it

    • Labour: Support reform and fairness

    • Lib Dems: Pro-BBC but open to new funding ideas

    • Reform UK: Scrap it altogether

Criminalisation: You Can Be Prosecuted

  • Not paying for a TV licence is a criminal offence in the UK.

  • You can be taken to magistrates’ court, fined up to £1,000, and have a criminal record — even if you’ve done nothing else wrong.

  • Over 50,000 people a year are prosecuted, and around 70% of them are women, mostly due to enforcement targeting low-income households.

  • Some who can’t pay the fines have ended up imprisoned by default — not for licence evasion itself, but for not being able to pay the penalty.

  • It’s one of the most gendered and regressive laws still in force.

In Scotland, enforcement is currently paused while decriminalisation is reviewed.
In England and Wales, criminal prosecution remains the default.

Why This Matters

  • This is not just a fee — it’s criminal law, used disproportionately against the poorest in society.

  • There are growing calls to replace criminal penalties with civil fines (like a parking ticket), but the government has so far failed to act.

  • The BBC has even admitted that it would support reform, but claims it lacks the authority to change the law itself.

The Bigger Question

Should media be treated like a public service? Or like a consumer product you only pay for what you use?

This is the real debate — and it's time the public had a proper say.