Will Leeds residents pay more or less under the new BBC licence fee plan?

The BBC wants to tie the licence fee to council tax bands — and most homes in Leeds could see a reduction.

Transcript

00:00The flat TV licence fee could soon be scrapped, and in Yorkshire many could end up paying less.

00:06Under the BBC's new proposal, the annual charge of £174.50 would be replaced by a means-tested

00:13model tied to your home's council tax band. In Leeds, over 55% of properties are in bands A to C,

00:19suggesting most households might benefit. Band D council tax here is just under £2,000 a year.

00:25The licence fee helps fund services like BBC Look North and BBC Radio Leeds, which reach tens of

00:32thousands across the region. The BBC reports that 89% of people in Yorkshire and the Humber

00:38use its services weekly, though evasion rates in urban areas are among the highest in England.

00:44Critics say the model could still be unfair to renters or low-income homeowners,

00:49while supporters argue it better reflects people's ability to pay.

00:53The government would need to approve the changes, and no timeline has been confirmed.