Overview
- The Department for Culture, Media and Sport confirmed a £5.50 rise to £180 for colour licences from April 1, 2026, with black-and-white licences increasing to £60.50.
- The fee remains tied to the Consumer Price Index under the 2022 settlement, with another CPI-calculated change scheduled for April 2027 before the charter ends in December 2027.
- Ministers have kept the licence model for the current charter period and are running a Green Paper consultation on long-term funding options that closes on March 10, 2026.
- Concessions continue for over-75s on Pension Credit, residents in qualifying care homes, and people who are blind or severely sight-impaired, with the Simple Payment Plan available to spread costs.
- BBC data show around 300,000 more households stopped paying in 2025, costing about £50 million, and news reports say the corporation is exploring linking up to 40 million iPlayer accounts to home addresses to deter evasion.