Is the TV licence fee worth the money? Have your say
Yahoo UK's poll of the week lets you vote and indicate your strength of feeling on one of the week's hot topics. After the poll closes, we'll publish and analyse the results each Friday, giving readers the chance to see how polarising a topic has become and if their view chimes with other Yahoo UK readers.
The cost of a TV licence has increased from Tuesday, giving Britons another reason to consider if it really is worth the money.
The price of a standard collar TV licence has risen by £5, from £169.50 to £174.50 a year, a jump of almost 3%.
It is just another price increase that forms part of what consumer groups are calling "awful April", with energy prices, water bills and council tax among the costs to rise today.
The licence fee has long been the subject of heated debate over how much value for money it provides, an argument that continues to rage given the rise of streaming services.
Those who wish to keep the TV licence see it as a way of guaranteeing access to all BBC programming, either on television or on iPlayer, but its detractors say that in the age of widespread streaming that the licence fee is rendered obsolete.
Last July, prime minister Keir Starmer ruled out changing how the BBC is funded until at least 2027, with reports suggesting it could be scrapped at that point.
However, culture secretary Lisa Nandy ruled out funding the BBC from general taxation if the licence fee is abolished.
She said in January that the licence fee was "deeply regressive" and that she was thinking "quite radically and creatively" about alternative solutions.
She refused to rule out a future subscription model for the BBC and said: "I think there is a genuine sense out there in the public that the licence fee was built for a different era."
Do you think the TV licence is worth its fee? And what do you think about the BBC? Let us know in the polls below:A TV licence allows viewers to watch or record live TV on any channel or service and use BBC iPlayer, but you don't need a licence to watch streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video, or websites such as YouTube.
If you only watch catch-up TV, you don't have to pay for a TV licence unless you're watching iPlayer.
Come back on Friday to read the results and analysis via the link below.
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Both imports and exports increased in April, netting a total US trade deficit of around $115 billion. President Trump originally pegged his "Liberation Day" tariff rates to trade deficits, suggesting that this metric would be important to any final proposal, though the talks have also highlighted specific sectors and other areas of cooperation. President Trump on Monday suggested he was optimistic about trade negotiations with Canada during the opening day of the G7 meeting. "I think our primary focus will be trade, and trade with Canada, and I'm sure we can work something out," he said, per Yahoo Finance Canada. "We have different concepts. I have a tariff concept. Mark has a different concept," Trump added, standing alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. "We're going to see if we can get to the bottom of it today." Trade is one of several items taking focus at the G7 gathering, with Trump's latest self-imposed tariff deadline is looming in July. Canada already faces a bevy of duties that affect its imports: 50% on steel and aluminum and 25% on foreign autos. Read more here. At Home filed for bankruptcy on Monday and said tariffs played a central role in its financial struggles. The chain of 260 stores sells home goods and has been struggling to manage its debt load for several years as the housing market slowed down and inflation-wary customers pulled back on spending. This year, tariffs proved to be a final blow, the company's CFO wrote in court documents. "The volatility of the current tariff environment came at a time when the management team was working to address the company's existing issues," CFO Jeremy Aguilar wrote. "These newly imposed tariffs and the uncertainty of ongoing U.S. trade negotiations intensified the financial pressure on the company, accelerating the need for a comprehensive solution." At Home sources a large percentage of its goods from China, and the tariff uncertainty made it hard for it to plan its key Halloween and Christmas orders ahead of time. Earlier this year, it was in talks to raise money and amend an agreement with lenders to shore up its finances but realized it needed a more "comprehensive strategy" after the new tariffs were announced. The chain is entering bankruptcy with a plan to continue operating, close some stores, and hand ownership to its lenders. Trump's Tariffs are affecting consumers beyond retail — they are also impacting aspects of everyday life. Families who would typically avoid the big amusement parks like Disney World in favor of more regional parks, which allow them to travel locally and avoid expensive flights are now saying they may stay home due to the economic uncertainty brought on by tariffs. AP reports: Read more here. CNN reports: Read more here. 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