Culture Secretary indicates BBC licence fee will be axed

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The next announcement about the BBC licence fee “will be the last”, the Culture Secretary has said, amid reports it will be frozen for the next two years. “Time now to discuss and debate new ways of funding, supporting and selling great British content.” The licence fee is set by the Government which announced in 2016 that it would rise in line with inflation for five years from April 1 2017. Anything less than inflation would put unacceptable pressure on the BBC finances after years of cuts BBC source speaking to the Sunday Times The BBC has previously come under fire over the abolition of free TV licences for all over-75s, with a grace period on payment because of the Covid-19 pandemic having ended on July 31. “Anything less than inflation would put unacceptable pressure on the BBC finances after years of cuts.” The BBC declined to comment.