TV licence fee for BBC content will rise in April

The TV licence fee is set to rise from 1 April.

The annual charge for BBC programming will increase to £150.50 from £147. The fee last year rose for the first time since 2010 after the UK government said the payment would increase in line with inflation for five years. The announcement comes as the corporation faces scrutiny over gender pay inequality.

Director-general Lord Tony Hall recently faced questions from MPS about pay imbalance following evidence from Carrie Gracie, who resigned as the BBC’S China editor over unequal pay.

Anyone watching or recording TV 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 TV set, computer or phone.