The government has responded to a petition against extending the BBC licence fee to streaming-only users, saying it is keeping an open mind on future funding options. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) issued the statement after the petition surpassed 10,000 signatures, which requires an official response.
Petition calls for no streaming fee
The petition, signed by more than 16,000 people, calls on Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to rule out charging people who only use streaming services. It argues that extending the licence fee to subscribers of platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube is unacceptable, especially during a cost-of-living crisis. Around 3.6 million people formally state they do not need or have a licence.
The petition text reads: "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."
Government response and options
In its response, DCMS said: "We are keeping an open mind on future funding of the BBC. No final decisions have been taken." The department noted that the total number of licences in force has fallen by 3 million since 2017/18, reflecting changing viewing habits.
The BBC is losing around 500,000 licence fee payers a year, with active TV licences dropping to 23.3 million, down by about 539,000 in a single year. The cross-party Social Market Foundation (SMF) think-tank has suggested an £11 monthly 'Home Internet Levy' on broadband bills, which would be nearly £50 cheaper than the current £180 licence fee.
Nandy rules out direct taxation
Speaking on BBC News, Ms Nandy said: "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: "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."
The petition will be considered for a Parliamentary debate if it reaches 100,000 signatures. The BBC's Royal Charter is set to expire on 31 December 2027.
