BBC licence fee to rise by £5.50 to £180 a year from April

Fri, 06 Feb 2026

Inflation-linked increase comes as ministers continue to review options for BBC’s future funding

The TV licence fee is to increase from £174.50 to £180 a year from 1 April, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has said.

The DCMS said the £5.50 increase in the fee, which is the predominant method of funding for the BBC, would give the corporation a “stable financial footing to deliver for audiences and support the wider creative industries”.