The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has issued an update on the BBC TV licence, with a minister confirming that possible new concessions are being considered. The BBC's most recent annual report revealed that the number of TV licences fell by more than half a million during the 2025/26 financial year.
The licence fee currently stands at £180 per year for a colour television, following an increase on 1 April. Not everybody is obliged to pay the full amount, with a number of concessions available.
Conservative MP raises sight-impaired concession
Conservative MP Mark Pritchard put a question to Secretary of State Lisa Nandy: "What discussions she has had with the BBC about extending the 50 per cent TV Licence concession to people who are registered as partially sighted or sight impaired."
Those aged 75 or above who are in receipt of Pension Credit, or who live with a partner claiming Pension Credit, qualify for a free TV licence covering all occupants at their address. Those already claiming the benefit can apply at the age of 74. The licence fee must continue to be paid until the month before the holder's 75th birthday.
A 50% discount is also available to those registered blind, or those living with a blind person. The licence must be held in the name of the blind individual — if this is not the case, a new application can be submitted to transfer it.
Minister confirms no plans to withdraw support
Ian Murray, Minister of State at the DCMS, confirmed there are 'no plans' to withdraw support – and that an ongoing review will examine potential new concessions. He said: "The BBC Charter Review Green Paper sought views on ways to make the BBC's funding fairer, including possible new concessions. As set out in the Green Paper, we do not plan to remove any existing concessions, including the 50 per cent reduction for blind individuals."
Murray added: "The public consultation on the Green Paper closed in March 2026 and we are now considering consultation responses. These will inform policy decisions for the next BBC Royal Charter which will be set out in a future White Paper, expected to be published by the end of the year."
Those applying must provide their existing TV licence number. A concessionary TV licence for registered blind individuals costs £90 for colour and £30.25 for black and white.
Applicants are required to submit documentation confirming their blind status, which may include a CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment), BD8 Certificate, or a certificate from a Local Authority confirming registration as blind.
Other concessions and funding proposals
For residents of Northern Ireland, TV Licensing will accept either Health and Social Services documentation or a letter from an Optometrist. Those residing in care homes or sheltered accommodation can obtain a TV Licence for £7.50, provided they are either retired and aged over 60 or disabled. A housing manager is able to verify eligibility and submit the application on their behalf.
The cross-party Social Market Foundation (SMF) think-tank has proposed an £11 monthly 'Home Internet Levy' on existing consumer broadband bills to replace the current BBC TV licence fee. The charge, which would be added to broadband bills and would be nearly £50 cheaper than the existing £180 licence fee, the SMF said.
The BBC is losing around 500,000 licence fee payers annually, with total active TV licences falling to 23.3 million (down by approximately 539,000 in a single year).
Petition calls for no streaming extension
A petition on the Parliament website is calling on Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to rule out charging those who exclusively use streaming platforms. Around 3.6 million people formally declare they do not require or hold a licence.
Those who solely stream on services such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube and never watch live TV are not required to hold a licence. The petition, signed by more than 16,000 people said: "There are widespread reports that the Government is considering extending the BBC licence fee to include subscribers of streaming services that are not owned or run by the BBC. We believe this is a wholly unacceptable proposal."
The petition continued: "Amid a cost-of-living crisis, we believe the Government should be finding ways to save the public money, not expanding their means of taxation. We feel the BBC already has a tarnished reputation, and this move could further diminish the reputation of the BBC."
Having surpassed 10,000 signatures, the DCMS was obliged to issue a response, stating it was maintaining an 'open mind' on potential options. Should the petition reach 100,000 supporters, it will be put forward for consideration in a Parliamentary debate.
Officials stated: "The Government is considering responses to the public consultation on the BBC Charter Review Green Paper. We are keeping an open mind on future funding of the BBC. No final decisions have been taken."
They added: "The BBC exists for all of us. It is a vital national institution that informs, educates and entertains audiences across the UK. The BBC sits at the heart of the UK's creative and media ecosystem, delivers trusted news and information, supports jobs and growth across the nations and regions, and continues to provide services used by the vast majority of UK adults each month."
"At the same time, the changing media market and audience viewing habits mean the Charter Review needs to consider whether the current funding model remains suitable for the future. Audiences now have much greater choice in what media they consume, and how and when they do so. These changes are having a direct impact on TV licence uptake, with the total number of licences in force falling by 3 million since 2017/18. The Government therefore believes it is right to consider how the BBC can continue to be sustainably funded for the long term."
Speaking on BBC News, Ms Nandy stated: "We're looking at a number of options. The only thing we've ruled out is direct taxation, partly because of the cost-of-living pressures, but mostly because we are very concerned to safeguard the BBC's independence."
She added: "We're looking at a number of options. The minute that I start ruling one out, people will suspect that there's a master plan for others. The truth is, if it were easy to do this in a cost-of-living crisis, another government would have done it earlier. But we are determined to put the BBC on a sustainable financial footing in the fairest way we can."
