A petition calling for the abolition of the BBC TV licence and the privatisation of the organisation has reached 3,000 signatures, as pressure mounts to remove the mandatory fee.
If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures, the government will be required to respond. Should it reach 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Campaigner calls for end to licence fee
Campaigner Richard Peckham, who launched the petition, described the service as "no longer the trusted ‘backbone’ of Britain it once was, having been linked to multiple scandals and alleged cover-ups". He added: "This has driven boycotts and reduced willingness to pay the TV Licence amongst many, alongside the rise of cheaper, better streaming alternatives."
Peckham also wants the BBC’s Royal Charter to be revoked and for legislation to transition the BBC into a private corporation.
Government review of BBC funding
The UK Government is currently reviewing the BBC’s funding model, with a policy white paper expected later in 2026. A green paper consultation closed in March 2026, and officials are exploring how to generate more commercial revenue and whether concessions should be updated.
Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, told the Telegraph in April 2025: "We recognise there are problems with the licence fee," adding that the Government was "open to a different system". She said: "It's unenforceable and, particularly, I've been very concerned about the way it's been enforced in the past, with women - particularly vulnerable women - targeted for enforcement action, and the BBC itself has accepted that."
Licence fee income and future
Around 80% of households are thought to have paid the licence fee last year, and financial reports showed it covered about two-thirds of the BBC's total income. In a House of Commons update in July, it was explained that "changes in viewing habits, such as a move to video-on-demand, and the growth of new technologies, has resulted in the model being challenged".
In a written ministerial statement in November 2024, Nandy confirmed that the licence fee will be upheld until the end of the charter period, which ends in December 2027. The BBC previously said it looks forward to engaging with the government and securing its long-term future. The BBC declined to comment on the petition.
