BBC licence price ‘unenforceable’, says tradition secretary

The tradition secretary has mentioned the BBC’s licence price is “unenforceable” and insisted “no options are off the table” when the federal government starts a overview into the company’s present investment style later this yr.

In an interview with the Telegraph, Lisa Nandy mentioned there have been “problems” with the once a year price, with “fewer and fewer people” paying the £174.50 price.

The constitution, which expires in 2027 and is below overview, is an settlement between the BBC and the federal government that units out the phrases and functions of the company – together with the life of the licence price.

A BBC spokeswoman mentioned the broadcaster appears ahead to attractive with the federal government and securing the long-term long term of the BBC.

Nandy has already began negotiations with the BBC concerning the company’s investment.

It lately will get maximum of its source of revenue from the licence price – within the ultimate monetary yr, the BBC won £3.7bn, or about two-thirds of its general source of revenue, from it.

“We’re open to a different system,” she instructed the Telegraph, however admitted no most well-liked choices were put ahead but.

She added the federal government sought after the general public’s enter in shaping the brand new style to create “a fairer, more sustainable system”.

According to the BBC, 80% of families lately pay the licence price.

Nandy additionally mentioned she were “very concerned” about the way in which the cost were enforced previously because it were discovered to disproportionately goal ladies.

Two BBC evaluations discovered the gender disparity were because of societal elements.

The overview in 2017 detailed a gender skew in opposition to women-only families, a better probability of ladies answering the door to TV Licensing Enquiry Officers and the next probability of them attractive undoubtedly with an officer.

In 2023, the BBC set out plans to cut back the prime percentage of ladies being prosecuted for licence price evasion, after figures confirmed that they made up 76% of the 52,376 other people convicted over it in 2020.

Nandy has up to now mentioned the price used to be “deeply regressive” and that she used to be considering “quite radically and creatively” about choices. But the minister has dominated out the usage of basic taxation to fund the BBC.

She did, then again, stay open the potential for a subscription style.

Last month in a Sunday Times interview, the company’s chairman urged wealthier families might be charged extra.

A BBC spokeswoman mentioned: “The public cares about the BBC and we have launched our biggest ever public engagement exercise, so audiences can help drive and shape what they want from a universal and independent BBC in the future.

“We wish to proceed to reform and evolve and sit up for attractive with executive at the subsequent Charter and securing the long-term long term of the BBC.”