TV licence fee to rise to £180 from April as government confirms inflation‑linked increase
The increase — equivalent to an extra 46p a month — follows the 2022 Licence Fee Settlement, which requires the charge to track the consumer price index until the end of the current BBC Charter in 2027.
A standard colour licence currently costs £174.50. The fee has risen each year since 2024, despite ongoing debate about how the BBC should be funded in future.
Government says rise will give BBC ‘stable footing’
Ministers say the uplift will help keep the BBC financially stable as it continues to deliver public service broadcasting and support the wider creative industries.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the government “recognises the financial pressures on households” but remains committed to the licence fee for the remainder of the Charter period.
Support remains available for those struggling with the cost, including:
- Free licences for over‑75s on Pension Credit
- Reduced fees for care home residents and blind people
- The Simple Payment Plan, allowing people in financial difficulty to spread payments in smaller instalments
The cost of a black‑and‑white licence will also rise, increasing from £58.50 to £60.50.
Black‑and‑white TVs are still a thing
They might feel like museum pieces, but thousands of households across the UK are still watching television in black and white — and yes, they’re still paying for a licence to do it.
At the end of 2025, around 3,600 homes were registered for a monochrome TV licence. That’s a tiny fraction of the country, but still remarkable given colour broadcasts began more than half a century ago.
The numbers are falling fast. In 2000, more than 212,000 households held black‑and‑white licences. By 2020, that had dropped by half — and it’s halved again since then.
So who’s still tuning in without colour? Some are collectors or retro‑tech enthusiasts who love the glow of an old cathode‑ray tube. Others are simply nostalgic, sticking with sets they’ve owned for decades. And a few are motivated by cost: a black‑and‑white licence is £58, around 66% cheaper than a colour one.
London remains the unlikely stronghold of monochrome viewing, consistently topping the list for the most black‑and‑white licences still in use.
They may be dwindling, but these last few thousand households are a quirky reminder that not everyone has made the jump to ultra‑HD streaming just yet.
BBC: ‘The licence fee provides financial stability’
The BBC said the fee ensures it can continue delivering trusted news, homegrown programmes and content that “brings people together”.
The corporation is also preparing for major changes ahead of its next Royal Charter in 2027, with the government currently consulting on future funding options. These include:
- A reformed licence fee
- A tiered system based on which BBC services people use
- A subscription or advertising‑supported model
The government says it is “keeping an open mind” about what comes next.
The TV licence will rise to £180 from April the UK Government has announced
(Image: Karolina Grabowska /
Pexels.com)
S4C to receive £100m
Welsh‑language broadcaster S4C — which receives all its public funding from the licence fee — will see its budget rise proportionately, receiving around £100 million in 2026/27.
Ministers say the increase will support the growth of Wales’ creative industries.
Debate over the BBC’s future intensifies
The rise comes as the BBC faces pressure over its long‑term finances, with evasion rates increasing and the Public Accounts Committee estimating the corporation lost more than £1 billion last year from households refusing to pay.
Executives are exploring new revenue options, while critics argue the current model is outdated. Supporters say the licence fee remains the fairest way to fund universal public service broadcasting.
The government’s consultation on the BBC’s future funding runs alongside its wider Charter Review.
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Michael Palmer
The Ident Gallery
Rhys
Editor
