TV licence fee could be replaced by broadband levy, says BBC
Told you so. Photograph: Shutterstock
The BBC has said the television licence fee could ultimately be replaced by a monthly levy on broadband connections, in response to the UK government’s proposals to decriminalise non-payment of the licence fee. From - https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/mar/31/tv-licence-fee-could-be-replaced-by-broadband-levy-says-bbc
Well Auntie finally worked it out.
I worked this out for her in 2014, but better late than never I guess! See https://ukfree.tv/article/1107052191/BBC_2017_Tell_me_about_the_16_options_to_collect_t
Funding method: Broadband bill tax
- How it works: Tax on having a broadband
- Who pays: 21.7m households pay £14 per month (or £11.50 per month if 5m mobile broadband also pay)
- Who uses: Everyone
- Collected by: BT, Virgin Media, Sky, TalkTalk and others
- Pros: Easy to collect from small number of private companies
- Cons: : Basically the TV Licence by another name. Could slow down broadband take-up.
This will be revenue neutral for most homes. For most people it would just have the added convenience of making the payment on an existing communications bill. There is certain logic to having the BBC services linked to broadband, especially going forward.
Read more here https://ukfree.tv/article/1107052191/BBC_2017_Tell_me_about_the_16_options_to_collect_t
Tuesday, 26 May 2020
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michael9:52 PM
The BBC is no longer what it once was, very very sadly. Government could levy a modest digital tax, a fraction of which could fund public service, ie objective, independent information, education, culture etc. Entertainment could be demand-led funded by subscription and/or advertising, as now via existing commercial services.
However, I do not hold out hope that vested interests will allow anything along these lines to evolve...
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Chris.SE11:03 PM
There needs to be a general discussion and public consultation on what the BBC should provide in the future. When that's decided, then the level of funding the BBC should get for that can be decided in much the same way as at present. However, as what a lot of what the BBC should provide will be Public Service Broadcasting, it should be funded from general taxation IMHO, then whoever can afford to pay is doing so through income tax. The less well off are then not forced to contribute as they currently are with the TV licence.
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Saturday, 6 June 2020
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John L Walker11:11 AM
I am a pensioner with static income have been getting free licence for quite sometime I am disgusted that
I am asked to pay now. Why doesnt the BBC advertise like all the other channels to pay for their people to
fly abroad and live in 5 star hotels whilst making useless comments in these contries which we do not
want to hear.
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StevensOnln11:32 PM
John L Walker: Complain to your MP. It was the government's decision to take away the funding for free TV Licences. The BBC have had to find a balance between even bigger cuts than they are already having to make and continuing to fund free TV Licences for those on the lowest income (overseas travel & hotels take up a tiny amount of the BBC's overall budget compared to all the other things they have to pay for). Replacing the TV Licence with advertising will never happen as the BBC would take a huge share of the advertising market, which would put ITV and other commercial broadcasters out of business.
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Sunday, 7 June 2020
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John martin10:43 AM
I seem to remember at the time when government and BBC were originally talking about this BBC agreed to cover this. But years I. They change their tune and the old suffer again. Th only pleasure they have especially in present situation when they cannot even go out or have visitors But hey their only old people what have they ever done for us?
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Monday, 22 June 2020
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Michael Brown8:39 AM
I only think people who are eligible for Govt. assistance should get help with the TV licence regardless of age. Lots of pensioners are sat on large pensions why should they get it for free?? The BBC is the best broadcasting organisation in the World ; go to America and see what the TV is like there
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John martin9:55 AM
Yeah Mike do you pay licence at home or is it it parents place? Not all oaps have big pensions. Most don,t make ends meet. if they are on a big pension they still pay taxes and probably accept they pay for it.
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Chris.SE4:38 PM
Michael Brown:
As John martin says, a lot of pensioners struggle and do not qualify for pension credit or find the forms too complicated. The fairer way is to do it by tax code, the government knows all tax codes! Anyone on a high rate code does not get a free licence, simples.
The real fairest way would be to scrap the licence fee and the money come from general taxation. If you have the income you are paying tax, the more income the more tax. Even simpler.
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Tuesday, 23 June 2020
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John Martin2:31 PM
Or AS they are so bias at the moment make them join all the other commercial companies out there and see how long they survive?
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Monday, 24 July 2023
It is about time the BBC came into the 21st century, and stopped taxing the country as in medieval Britain. The Beeb is outdated, spends money like water and has many presenters that in the past, present and I am sure the future will abuse the system and other humans, and we are supposed to pay, BBC get a life and start working for your company instead of threatening the public.
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