£180 LICENCE FEE

Telly charge up £5.50 from April to help safeguard financial future of the Beeb

- BY NICOLA METHVEN

THE cost of a TV Licence is to rise by £5.50 to £180 from the start of April, the Government has announced.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the hike would give the BBC a “stable financial footing to deliver for audiences”.

The TV licence pays for BBC radio, TV shows and online services, and its cost rises in line with inflation every year until 2027, following a 2022 agreement. It increased by £5 last year and £10.50 in 2024.

It comes amid reports suggesting the BBC is working on ways to use its iPlayer streaming service to find households that have not paid, and hit them with a £1000 fine.