Viewers believe the BBC licence fee offers poor value for money and should be replaced, a new poll suggests.
There appears to be a large opposition to retaining the £180-a-year TV charge in its current form, according to research by the think-tank, the Good Growth Foundation (GGF).
The findings could alarm the BBC, which is about to enter into discussions with the Government over the future of the licence fee.
Viewers surveyed by the GGF, which has been closely aligned with the Labour Government, questioned why they still needed to pay for the mandatory licence fee when they are predominantly watching streaming rivals including Netflix.
But BBC bosses want ministers to extend the licence fee so that it includes people watching programmes on online services such as YouTube, Disney + and Netflix.
It has warned that the charge is in “irreversible” decline and has called for a “fairer” funding mechanism, which could see people pay less.
Majority say licence fee ‘poor value’
The poll found that 58 per cent of respondents said the licence fee represents poor value for money, compared to 25 per cent who believe it offers good value.
Only 9 per cent of the public believe the licence fee should remain unchanged. Others said they would prefer a BBC funded by advertising with little or no licence fee (26 per cent) or a Netflix-style subscription model (12 per cent).
The GGF polled 2,000 UK adults last month, weighted by age, region and political views, and conducted separate focus groups to gauge the nation’s opinions on the BBC.
‘Why have we got to pay for licence fee?’
One focus group respondent said: “The number of people paying the TV licence has gone down a lot. And I think that’s a reflection of the distrust in the BBC … I think it’s important that they’re on board with the public.”
The number of licence fees in circulation has fallen by 1.5 million since 2021, with the BBC admitting that the shift to online viewing, driving cancellations, is set to continue.
Another respondent said: “I need to pay for a licence… to get what… I’m already paying for my Sky. Why have we got to pay for a licence?”
But one said: “One other thing that I love about the BBC… is there’s no commercials… I can’t stand commercials … I pay the fee just to avoid the ads.”
Children’s programming users were the most positive audience group surveyed, with 41 per cent saying the licence fee offers good value. News users came in second, with 25 per cent believing it is worthwhile.
The GGF, whose advisory board includes Labour peer Roger Liddle, said it would discuss its findings with the BBC and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which will publish a White Paper setting out the Government’s proposals for the BBC’s future later this year.
It noted that four headline policy proposals, including a new approach to UK-EU cooperation, had been adopted by the Government. Its flagship summit featured Chancellor Rachel Reeves as headline speaker.
BBC must ‘demonstrate its value’
Louisa Dollimore, director of strategy at the GGF, said for the BBC to remain as “one of Britain’s great national assets”, there needs to be consideration of how to “win back public support”.
“If the BBC wants a stable, long-term funding settlement, it must rebuild public consent by demonstrating its value and adapting to how audiences actually consume media today.”
A BBC spokesperson said the broadcaster is used by 94 per cent of UK adults on average per month. A recent questionnaire of 870,000 account holders found 83 per cent said “it is important that our mission to inform, educate and entertain continues”.
The BBC acknowledged the current licence fee model required “radical reform to secure a funding model that is universal, fair, sustainable, and future-proof”.
Barb figures show Netflix first overtook BBC One to become the most-watched UK TV service at the end of 2024 – though the BBC and the streamer have swapped the lead since. Netflix has said it is eager to integrate the BBC’s channels into its own platform as audiences increasingly shift to streaming.
The BBC pointed to research showing an equivalent household bundle to its offer of premium, advertising-free video, audio and news media subscriptions would now cost over £600 a year – versus the licence fee, which rises to £180 from 1 April .
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