Update on 50% BBC tv licence reduction as DCMS issues 'new concessions' statement

Update on 50% BBC tv licence reduction as DCMS issues 'new concessions' statement The BBC has confirmed a number of TV Licence fee concessions available - but now an MP has provoked a response Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Ben Hurst 05:30, Sat, Nov 7, 2026 Tory Mark Pritchard asked about new TV licence concessions (Image: Parliament TV) An update has been given by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport about key reductions in the television licence fee.

The most recent BBC annual report demonstrated that TV licence numbers declined by more than half a million during the 2025/26 financial year. The licence fee stands at £180 annually for a colour television, following a rise on 1 April. Not everyone is required to pay the full amount - with several concessions on offer. Tory Mark Pritchard asked the Secretary of State Lisa Nandy: “What discussions she has had with the BBC about extending the 50 per cent TV Licence concession to people who are registered as partially sighted or sight impaired.”

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Those aged 75 or over who receive Pension Credit, or live with a partner receiving Pension Credit, are entitled to a free TV licence covering all residents at their address. Applications can be submitted at age 74 for those already claiming the benefit. Payment for the licence remains necessary until the month preceding their 75th birthday. A 50% discount is available to those registered blind or living with someone who is.

The licence must be held in the blind person’s name - if not, a fresh application can be made to transfer it. Get the day's biggest headlines in UK and World news and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you.

This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Ian Murray Minister of State in the DCMS said there are ‘no plans’ to remove help - and a current review will look at possible new concessions. He said: “The BBC Charter Review Green Paper sought views on ways to make the BBC’s funding fairer, including possible new concessions. As set out in the Green Paper, we do not plan to remove any existing concessions, including the 50 per cent reduction for blind individuals.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT “The public consultation on the Green Paper closed in March 2026 and we are now considering consultation responses. These will inform policy decisions for the next BBC Royal Charter which will be set out in a future White Paper, expected to be published by the end of the year.” Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT The existing TV licence number must be provided when applying. A concessionary TV Licence for those registered blind costs £90 for colour and £30.25 for black and white.

Related articles Government may consider new TV Licence 'charter concessions' for pensioners BBC TV licence fee change option DCMS update as extra 539,000 refuse to pay Applicants must supply documentation confirming their certification as blind, which could include a CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment), BD8 Certificate, or a certificate from a Local Authority showing registration as blind. More details here . For Northern Ireland residents specifically, TV Licensing accepts either Health and Social Services documentation or a letter from an Optometrist.

Those living in residential care or sheltered accommodation can obtain a TV Licence for £7.50, provided they are either retired and aged over 60 or disabled. A housing manager can verify eligibility and submit the application on their behalf. The cross-party Social Market Foundation (SMF) think-tank has suggested an £11 monthly ‘Home Internet Levy’ on existing consumer broadband bills to replace the existing BBC TV licence fee. A charge added to broadband bills, which would be nearly £50 cheaper than the current £180 licence fee, the SMF said.

The BBC is losing around 500,000 licence fee payers a year, with total active TV licences dropping to 23.3 million (down by about 539,000 in a single year). See more of the stories you love from Daily Express and find us easily in Google by making us a Preferred Source. Free and easy-to-do, just click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. A petition on the Parliament website calls for Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to rule out charging people using only streamers.

Around 3.6 million people formally state they do not need or have a licence. If people only stream on services like Netflix , Disney+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube and never watch live TV then they do not need a licence. The petition, signed by more than 16,000 people said: “There are widespread reports that the Government is considering extending the BBC licence fee to include subscribers of streaming services that are not owned or run by the BBC.

We believe this is a wholly unacceptable proposal. “Amid a cost-of-living crisis, we believe the Government should be finding ways to save the public money, not expanding their means of taxation. We feel the BBC already has a tarnished reputation, and this move could further diminish the reputation of the BBC.” Russell Brand just gave Labour a big problem - Miliband and Burnham’s silence is deafening HMRC confirms £200 charges for UK households after tax rule change Because the petition got more than 10,000 signups the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) was forced to respond - and it said it was keeping an ‘open mind’ on options.

If the petition gets to 100,000 backers, it will be considered for a Parliamentary debate. Officials said: “The Government is considering responses to the public consultation on the BBC Charter Review Green Paper. We are keeping an open mind on future funding of the BBC. No final decisions have been taken. “The BBC exists for all of us. It is a vital national institution that informs, educates and entertains audiences across the UK. The BBC sits at the heart of the UK’s creative and media ecosystem, delivers trusted news and information, supports jobs and growth across the nations and regions, and continues to provide services used by the vast majority of UK adults each month.

“At the same time, the changing media market and audience viewing habits mean the Charter Review needs to consider whether the current funding model remains suitable for the future. Audiences now have much greater choice in what media they consume, and how and when they do so. These changes are having a direct impact on TV licence uptake, with the total number of licences in force falling by 3 million since 2017/18. The Government therefore believes it is right to consider how the BBC can continue to be sustainably funded for the long term.”

Speaking on BBC News Ms Nandy has said: “We’re looking at a number of options. The only thing we’ve ruled out is direct taxation, partly because of the cost-of-living pressures, but mostly because we are very concerned to safeguard the BBC’s independence. “We’re looking at a number of options. The minute that I start ruling one out, people will suspect that there’s a master plan for others. The truth is, if it were easy to do this in a cost-of-living crisis, another government would have done it earlier.

But we are determined to put the BBC on a sustainable financial footing in the fairest way we can.” To sign the petition and read the full DCMS response, click here. TV licence Streaming Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments