The BBC has suffered a staggering loss of more than £1 billion in the past year. Why? Licence fee evasion hit record highs, with one in eight households refusing to pay up.
3.6 Million Homes Ditch the Licence Fee
A UK Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report reveals 3.6 million households claim they don’t hold a licence because they simply don’t want BBC services. That’s 300,000 more than last year, costing the broadcaster a massive £617 million.
2.9 Million Licence Dodgers Cost BBC £550 Million
The same report found 2.9 million viewers actively dodged the mandatory £174.50 licence fee. This evasion cost the BBC another £550 million in lost revenue.
Licence Fee Under Threat as Streaming Rises
The BBC’s funding depends heavily on the licence fee, which every home that watches live TV or uses BBC iPlayer must pay. But with evasion climbing and younger audiences fleeing to streaming giants, the system is creaking under pressure.
Now, the big question — should the BBC ditch the traditional licence fee and explore adverts, subscriptions, or new money-making methods?
