BBC licence fee to be replaced by household levy under government plan
A charge tied to council tax bands would raise the same £3.7bn; the corporation says it is 'workable', critics say it is a tax by another name
The television licence fee will be replaced by a household levy linked to council tax bands from 2028 under proposals published by the government on Thursday.
The charge would raise the same £3.7bn a year as the licence fee, with lower-band households paying less and higher-band households more. It would be collected with council tax and would not depend on owning a television.
The BBC said the model was “workable” and would end the cost of enforcing the licence. Opposition parties called it a tax by another name. Commercial broadcasters said the corporation should take advertising instead.
A consultation runs until February.
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