PETITIONRejectedPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Stop the government from merging the TV license into council tax.
Keep the TV license as a separate entity as a minimum or better yet abolish it completely.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
21
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 21/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 21/100,000
Background
The current TV licence is a clearly defined, separate charge. If merged into council tax, it would become just another line in a complex bill.
Right now, the BBC is directly funded through the licence fee, meaning the public has a clear financial relationship with the broadcaster. This structure encourages accountability. If the fee is buried in council tax, the BBC becomes further removed from the people who fund it.
Council tax is based on property value, not TV usage.