Nearly 18,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Government to cancel plans to extend the TV licence fee to cover a wider range of programming, prompting a formal response from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The petition was launched on June 11, 2026, by Alec Burns, who wrote: "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."
Burns added: "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."
Current Licence Fee Rules
As it stands, every UK household where people watch live TV programming or anything on BBC iPlayer must pay for a TV licence, which costs £180 per year as of April 2026. Those who do not watch live TV or iPlayer, or do not have a TV at all, can declare to the TV licensing company that they do not require a licence.
Some people may be entitled to a free or discounted TV licence. Those aged over 75 or receiving Pension Credit are entitled to a free licence, and reduced fees are available for care home residents and blind individuals.
Government Response to Petition
The petition received more than 17,000 signatures. At the time of writing, 17,995 people had signed. Any petition reaching 10,000 signatures requires the government to issue a written response; if it reaches 100,000, the topic is considered for a debate in Parliament.
In a response issued on Monday, November 2, the DCMS said the government has made "no final decisions" and is keeping "an open mind" regarding the future funding of the BBC. The response reads: "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."
The DCMS added: "As part of the Charter Review the government ran a public consultation which asked people from different communities to be part of the conversation on the future of the BBC. The Government is keeping an open mind on the future funding of the BBC and no decisions have been taken at this stage."
Future Funding Considerations
The department noted that ongoing policy development includes consideration of impacts on households, consumers, investment, and the wider creative economy. It stated: "The BBC exists for all of us. It is a vital national institution that informs, educates and entertains audiences across the UK."
The response continued: "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. The Government believes a thriving BBC benefits the whole country and is committed to ensuring it has a sustainable future."
It added: "We understand that ensuring the licence fee is affordable is important. We want to ensure that costs are kept as low as possible for households to support them with the cost of living, while ensuring the BBC has sufficient and necessary resources to continue to deliver for all of us. We are looking at a range of options, including how the BBC can operate more efficiently, generate more commercial revenue, and how the licence fee could be reformed."
