Labour considers £11-a-month broadband charge to replace BBC licence fee
Labour ministers are considering replacing the BBC’s £180-a-year television licence with an £11-a-month broadband charge, payable by every household with an internet connection regardless of whether it watches live television. The proposal, outlined by the Social Market Foundation, is intended to create a more stable funding system, although the plans remain under consideration and could affect the BBC’s future structure and services.
The report says 3.7 million households claim they do not need a licence, while about 500,000 stopped paying in 2025, contributing to £500 million in BBC cuts. It warns that around 63 per cent of BBC content could disappear without licence-fee funding, while an alternative plan would retain the licence fee alongside a £2.30 monthly News and Culture Levy; possible safeguards include discounts for poorer households.
- Labour is considering an £11 monthly broadband charge for BBC funding.
- Every internet-connected household could pay, regardless of television use.
- Alternatives include a £2.30 levy and discounts for low-income families.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “BBC licence fee could be axed and replaced by £11-a-month internet charge whether people watch live TV or not under new plans being considered by Labour”.