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BBC Licence Fee Poised to Top £181 in 2026 as Inflation Link Kicks In

Officials will confirm the exact 2026 charge later this month.

Overview

  • The projected charge is based on September inflation of 3.8%, implying roughly a £7 rise from £174.50.
  • The Department for Culture, Media and Sport says no final decision has been made and the figure will be set in due course.
  • Annual uprating remains tied to inflation under the 2022 settlement through at least spring 2028.
  • About 300,000 households stopped paying last year, reducing active licences to 23.8 million from 24.1 million.
  • Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is exploring a mixed funding model combining the licence fee with subscriptions and advertising as the BBC reports about £3.8bn in fee revenue but a sharp real-terms decline since 2012.