£150.50 for TV licence from April

 The television licence fee is to increase to £150.50 from £147 from April 1.

The annual fee for BBC programming increased for the first time since 2010 in 2017 after the Government said it would rise in line with inflation for five years.

Anyone watching or recording programmes as they are shown on TV, or watching or downloading BBC programmes on iplayer, must have a licence.

The charge applies whether they are using a television set, computer or any other equipment.

The news comes as the corporation faces scrutiny over gender pay inequality.