BBC “disappointed” at two-year licence fee freeze

The BBC has expressed disappointment at the government’s plan to freeze the licence fee for the next two years.

It was announced by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries today that the licence fee will remain at £159 for the next two years.

She said, “The BBC must support people at a time when their finances are strained, make savings and efficiencies, and use the billions in public funding it receives to deliver for viewers, listeners and users.”

In a joint statement, Mr Davie and BBC chairman Richard Sharp said the settlement would mean the BBC “will now have to absorb inflation”.

“That is disappointing,” they said, “not just for licence fee payers, but also for the cultural industries who rely on the BBC for the important work they do across the UK.”

Dorries has also given the strongest hint yet that the licence fee could be abolished altogether after 2027.

Statement on the Licence Fee settlement from Richard Sharp, BBC Chairman, and Tim Davie, BBC Director-General. https://t.co/lbi3zCVfEV pic.twitter.com/4K41QALoyy

— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) January 17, 2022