TV licence increase is an 'utter disgrace' say Lancashire residents who demand an end to 'archaic fee'

Lancashire folk have called for an end to the TV licence fee, after it was announced that the annual cost will rise an extra £10 - bringing it to £169.50 from 1 April 2024.

A number of readers of the Lancashire Post and Blackpool Gazette admitted that they do not pay for a TV licence - with many saying they prefer to stream content from Netflix, Youtube, and other digital platforms.

Some have said it's time for the BBC to go 'fully commercial', adding: "It's probably on the rise to fund celebrities demanding big money on reality TV'.

"It is currently is a criminal offence to watch, record, [or] broadcast TV without a licence", said David Westhead. "[That's] even if you never watch a single BBC programme, and it all goes to the BBC." Another resident said it's even less value for money now that the BBC has lost the FA Cup. Tim Shipway said: "It's an absolute utter utter and I mean UTTER disgrace!!! An archaic fee which should not be made mandatory."

Meanwhile, others have argued that the rise isn't a big problems.

"[It's] not even an extra £2 a month," said David Lewis. Another resident added: "What's the big deal It's only 20p a week."

It is the first increase to the fee since April 2021. Anyone who streams or watches live programmes in Britain must pay an annual TV licence.

For the past two years the BBC’s TV licence has been frozen at £159, with an agreement it would rise with inflation from April 2024, and in the three years after that.

In December 2023, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer confirmed the BBC licence fee will rise by £10.50 to £169.50 a year, based on September’s consumer prices index (CPI) rate of inflation, which was 6.7%.