BBC licence fee cost may now be determined by value of house in new proposal
BBC Chairman Samir Shah has suggested that the current fee of £174.50 should be revised for some households.
TV license fees may start increasing based on the value of your home, as proposed by a BBC boss. Charmain Samir Shah has urged that the £174.50 fee be scrapped to make way for a progressive payment structure that is based on assets.
Speaking in an interview earlier this year, Mr Shah explained the fee would be tied to property bands and collected at the same time as council tax, which would come as his first major shake-up since taking over from Richard Sharp. He also shut down speculation that the TV licence would be scrapped for a Netflix subscription-style service, stating that it would "not meet the BBC's key role to offer something for everyone in the country.'
Viewers living in higher council tax bands would pay more for BBC service while those in lower bands may end up paying less than the current rate. Those who opt out of paying a TV licence would no longer be able to do so. The chairman believes this policy would reduce the need to prosecute people for not paying.
He told The Sunday Times: "It gets rid of the enforcement issue, which is a problem. The idea that not paying the licence fee is a criminal offence seems too harsh."
In Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, where there is no Council Tax, an alternative would have to be implemented.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy may also be open to it, having described the current model as "harder for poorer households to pay".
In the interview, he answered questions about changing the model of the BBC and rejected the proposal of a hybrid structure, which would see the broadcaster offering its basic services such as news for free and charging for content like drama or comedy series.
He continued to say that the advertising on the BBC would "kill off ITV", and dismissed the idea that the broadcaster should be funded solely by general taxation because it would "leave the BBC open to influence from the government of the day".
Samir Shah, 73, took over as BBC chairman in February 2024 after he replaced Richard Sharp, who resigned in April 2023.
At the moment, although there are concessions or free licences for certain groups, such as those over 75 who receive Pension Credit, the licence fee does not take personal assets into consideration.
The standard fee is charged at £174.50 per annum with a reduced rate of £58.50 for black and white subscriptions.
For viewers who are blind or severely sight-impaired, a 50% discount is available, bringing the cost down to £87.25.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Fresh ageism row for the BBC after four axed senior journalists lodge discrimination claims
FOUR senior journalists have lodged complaints with the BBC in a fresh ageism row. Their separate — but coordinated — discrimination claims come as the broadcaster merges its home and foreign newsdesks. 2 Bosses hope slashing 130 jobs will help save £700million. But the four, said to have worked in warzones and the aftermath of terror attacks, fear they have been earmarked for compulsory redundancy. Their move follows a group of BBC News presenters going to an employment tribunal over ageism allegations. Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh settled their three-year dispute in March, with the terms not disclosed. The latest cases involve employees aged over 50 and thought to have more than 100 years of experience between them. Sources said they believe the process of applying for the new jobs concentrates only on their work over the past two years — and so is weighted towards younger candidates. Marks were also said to be deducted if applicants failed to mention keywords such as 'digital' or 'live page'. It is reported one of the individuals is a representative of the National Union of Journalists, which has hit out at the compulsory redundancies. Last night, the BBC said: 'Restructuring in BBC News is taking place according to established BBC policies. 'We conduct all processes in a thorough and fair manner, and we are committed to supporting our staff throughout, including through comprehensive redeployment assistance.' 2
Wales Online
6 hours ago
- Wales Online
DWP Winter Fuel Payment rules confirmed for couples including who gets what
DWP Winter Fuel Payment rules confirmed for couples including who gets what Nine million pensioners in England and Wales will receive the Winter Fuel Payment from the DWP this winter after a government u-turn - here are the rules The announcement follows last year's reduction in payments (Image: Richard Youle ) The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has clarified the regulations surrounding the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners who are cohabiting. Yesterday, June 11, it was announced that nine million pensioners in England and Wales would receive the Winter Fuel Payment from the DWP this winter following a government reversal of policy. This adjustment means eligible pensioners - those earning £35,000 or less - will receive either £200 or £300 this winter. It follows last year's reduction in payments when they were means tested for the first time, with only those on certain benefits receiving the payment. This effectively lowered the income threshold to just £11,600, according to MoneySavingExpert. Under the new amendments, all pensioners earning under £35,000 a year will automatically receive the payment this year, reports the Manchester Evening News. Pensioners earning above this threshold will also receive the payment, but it will subsequently be reclaimed through tax. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here This implies that if someone earns over £35,000, their portion of the household payment will be recouped either through the PAYE or the self-assessment tax system. Article continues below Payments will be made per household, meaning a household with more than one pensioner will only receive one payment of up to £300. So, for instance, two pensioners over the age of 80 living in the same house will each receive £150. Income is assessed individually rather than based on household income, meaning if one pensioner's earnings exceed the threshold, their portion of the payment will be reclaimed via the tax system, while their partner will still receive theirs if their own income is below the limit. Martin Lewis described this as a "good system compared to what we thought was going to happen", having initially feared the threshold would hinge on the higher earner's income. MoneySavingExpert highlights an exception for couples claiming Pension Credit, noting: "If you're a couple claiming Pension Credit, there's no split. Article continues below You'll get £200 or £300 (if one of you is 80+) in one lump sum. And the clawback will not affect you, as if you earned enough for the clawback to apply, you wouldn't be eligible for Pension Credit in the first place."
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
State pensioners warned to make urgent check to see if they can slash their broadband and mobile bills by £100s
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) STATE pensioners are being urged to check if they can slash their broadband and mobile bills by hundreds of pounds a year. Older households can save money on internet and phone deals by signing up for social tariffs. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Households can save money on their broadband and mobile phones with social tariffs Credit: Alamy Social tariffs are offered to those on government benefits like Universal Credit. And they can save you hundreds of pounds a year compared to standard deals. Not only that, but they often come with no exit fees, although you should always check the terms and conditions carefully. Virgin Media O2 is urging older households to sign up to its broadband and mobile phone social tariffs to save money. It comes after a survey by the telecoms firm found almost half were unaware of the cheaper tariffs. Households on Pension Credit, a benefit paid to state pensioners on low incomes, are eligible to apply for the provider's social tariffs. Customers can sign up for its Essential broadband package which costs £12.50 a month and comes with 15Mbits speed. There is also an Essential broadband package which costs £20 and comes with 54Mbits speed. O2 customers can also sign up for an Essential Plan mobile phone tariff with 10GB of data, unlimited texts and minutes for £10. All three of the tariffs come on 30-day rolling contracts meaning you can cancel at the end of each month. CHECK YOUR SPEED: Broadband How to get the best deal Of course, as is the case with any major buy like this, it pays to shop around to make sure you're getting the best package and price. The regulator Ofcom has a list on its website of all the firms offering social broadband and mobile phone tariffs. The list can be found here - It's worth scanning the list to find the package that best suits your needs. It's also worth comparing deals via comparison sites like Uswitch. For example, Hyperoptic Fair Fibre 50 offers a 50Mbits speed social broadband tariff for £15 a month, which is £2.50 more expensive than Virgin Media O2's Essential broadband deal but offers a quicker internet speed. Meanwhile, 4th Utility's social broadband tariff costs £13.99 a month and comes with 30Mbit speed. When applying for a social tariff, you will most likely qualify if you're on Universal Credit. Some other benefits qualify you too, but not always, including Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allowance and Jobseeker's Allowance. Check out each provider's website where eligibility criteria will be listed. How to save on broadband and TV bills HERE'S how to save money on your broadband and TV bills: Audit your subscriptions If you've got multiple subscriptions to various on-demand services, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Sky consider whether you need them all. Could you even just get by with Freeview, which couldn't cost you anything extra each month for TV. Also make sure you're not paying for Netflix twice via Sky and directly. Haggle for a discount If you want to stay with your provider, check prices elsewhere to set a benchmark and then call its customer services and threaten to leave unless it price matches or lowers your bill. Switch and save If you don't want to stay with your current provider check if you can cancel your contract penalty free and switch to a cheaper provider. A comparison site, such as BroadbandChoices or Uswitch, will help you find the best deal for free. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
