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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Rosie Shead

Fewer people are paying the ‘unenforceable’ BBC licence fee. Here’s what could replace it

Matt Brittin Lisa Nandy Starmer

The future of the BBC's TV licence fee is under scrutiny after the number of licences fell by more than half a million in a single year.

The corporation’s annual report, released on Tuesday, showed there were 23.3 million licences active by the end of the 2025/2026 financial year, meaning a drop of 540,000.

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