The licence fee needed to watch BBC television and listen to BBC radio is set to go up by £13, according to reports. The Telegraph says the fee will be increased in line with inflation 8.2%.
The licence fee has been frozen for two years but is set to increase in April 2024. The Office of Budget Responsibility forecasts that the licence fee will rise from £159 a year to £172, the biggest increase in more than 20 years.
A BBC spokesperson said: “The Government agreed a six-year licence fee settlement in January 2022 which froze the licence fee for two years, with increases in line with inflation from 2024.
“It is not for the BBC to speculate on what inflation might be and how that might impact the licence fee in future years.
“Ultimately it is for Government to set and confirm the cost of a licence each year. The BBC will continue to focus on what it does best: working to deliver world class content and value for all its audiences.”
A Culture Department spokesman said: “We agreed a fair settlement with the BBC that will see the licence fee remain at £159 until 2024 to protect licence fee payers from current inflationary pressures, and then rise in line with inflation until the end of 2027. The exact level of inflation is yet to be confirmed.
“The BBC's funding model faces major challenges due to changes in the way people consume media, which is why we are working with it to look at ways to ensure it is sustainable in the long-term.”
