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The Television Licence Fee's history
In response to questions posted on another page, we calculated the cost of the BBC Licences over the years. The first graph, however, shows the percentage of homes with a television, a colour television and finally digital television from 1946-2008.
This main graph (click to view full size) shows the cost of the various licences, adjusted using the Retail Price Index to 2008 prices.
- The blue line show the cost of a radio licence - at 2008 prices - which ran from 1922 to 1970, shown here from 1946;
- the grey line shows the cost of a monochrome licence at 2008 prices from 1948 to today;
- the red line shows (as before) the cost of a colour licence at 2008 prices from 1968 to today. I have adjusted the value for 2007 and 2008 to take into account the orange line.
- The orange line shows the amounts collected as part of the TVL which does not go to broadcasters, but is used to supply funding for set-top boxes for those aged over 75 (and selected others).
- So taking into account ALL of the above, there is a GREEN LINE that takes into account the proportion of homes with radio, monochrome and colour television and creates an average amount that each household would pay.
- This line starts the same as the radio line, but meets the monochrome line by 1970 (when almost all homes had a TV) and then eventually joins the colour line by 2003 when almost all homes have a colour TV.
Your comments are always welcome. Please use the form below to add your thoughts or questions to this page. We will get back to you as soon as we can.
Hi Brian,
You did well to make this graph.
I do find it somewhat hard to interpret
The TV Penetration Graph is not to bad
I think it means for example in 1994 about 95% of homes have a TV.in 1974 about 75% of homes have a TV.
The other graph is a bit hard for me :)
You did well to make this graph.
I do find it somewhat hard to interpret
The TV Penetration Graph is not to bad
I think it means for example in 1994 about 95% of homes have a TV.in 1974 about 75% of homes have a TV.
The other graph is a bit hard for me :)
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Michael: Glad I got somewhere...
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Please note that licence as a noun (a licence, the licence) is spelt "Licence".
"License" is a verb (to license, licensing, etc).
"License" is a verb (to license, licensing, etc).
Posted by J. Glynn (2 posts) on Tuesday 28 October 2008 10:31PM 
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J. Glynn: Hi. I follow the spelling used by TLC, as per their logo above...
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Their spelling is correct for a verb; "Licensing".
The noun, as your title, should be "Licence
Fee". I note that you know the use of the apostrophe.
Please learn more about about English grammar.
The noun, as your title, should be "Licence
Fee". I note that you know the use of the apostrophe.
Please learn more about about English grammar.
Posted by J. Glynn (2 posts) on Thursday 30 October 2008 10:00PM
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J. Glynn: I suspect I have a US spell checker... I note 'In American English, both the noun and the verb are spelled license'
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OK. You do not know what you a talking
about. Please read your TV Licence for the
spelling.
We are in the UK; I do not have a US
spell checker.
Yes, they do spell it the same way in US
but we not there.
Are we possibly in England?
about. Please read your TV Licence for the
spelling.
We are in the UK; I do not have a US
spell checker.
Yes, they do spell it the same way in US
but we not there.
Are we possibly in England?
Posted by Jeff Glynn (1 post) on Saturday 1 November 2008 10:38PM
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Jeff Glynn: Thank you for your considerable contribution.
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but we not there.
NO Glynn it should be but we ARE not there.
Please learn more about about English grammar.
NO Glynn it should be but we ARE not there.
Please learn more about about English grammar.
Posted by John (2 posts) on Wednesday 1 April 2009 2:25PM
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crikey and try to not repeat yourself, repeat yourself.. cut and paste is not always rliable. Depending on whom you take the source from.
Posted by John (2 posts) on Wednesday 1 April 2009 2:27PM
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níu: so its like counter-strike?
níu: or you play the actual game together??
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I used to think the Licence Fee bill came only in March, i was wrong about that, i guess it comes to people at various times of the Year from the day they get a TV.
It is a sad occasion when it comes, i think there should be a national day of Mourning on the Queens official Birthday.
It is a sad occasion when it comes, i think there should be a national day of Mourning on the Queens official Birthday.
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can anyone tell me what it has cost over the last 10yrs for this licence fee
Posted by carol edwards (1 post) on Saturday 11 July 2009 5:05PM
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carol edwards: The graph above is the "adjusted for inflation" figures, for the original figures, please see BBC - Press Office - Licence Fee key facts and figures .
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Is it true that the Licence Fee is expected to rise by a further £20 to £30 after 2009?
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Michael: No, see TV tax on the TV tax | ukfree.tv - independent digital TV + switchover advice, since 2002 for details of to March 2013.
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On the Isle of Man the Government is in a debate as to whether to continue with it's citizens paying for a TV Licence.
There is about 33000 households paying for a TV Licence. This equates to over 4.7 Million Pounds. There are also business premises etc not included here.
If the Isle of Man withdraws from this agreement with the UK Government, could the BBC shudown it's service on freeview without affecting other regions of the UK?
i understand that they cannot switch of it's service via Satellite such as BskyB
There is about 33000 households paying for a TV Licence. This equates to over 4.7 Million Pounds. There are also business premises etc not included here.
If the Isle of Man withdraws from this agreement with the UK Government, could the BBC shudown it's service on freeview without affecting other regions of the UK?
i understand that they cannot switch of it's service via Satellite such as BskyB
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Michael - That a very interesting point... Worth a discussion on it's own.
I suppose they could cut the bbc network distribution, take any rbl's offline. Stop content being passed through circuits from the Manchester exchange. Arqiva wouldn't be happy campers having just upgraded the dtt network and switched it over. Would it matter that much? Probably not, the islanders will just look to transmitters further away. Winter Hill, Divis, Llandonna, Moel Y Parc & Caldbeck and with their increased erp's and radiation patterns it's probably win win for them... As for sky one man and his dog with a dish pointed the right way and a box will still get Sky...
I suppose they could cut the bbc network distribution, take any rbl's offline. Stop content being passed through circuits from the Manchester exchange. Arqiva wouldn't be happy campers having just upgraded the dtt network and switched it over. Would it matter that much? Probably not, the islanders will just look to transmitters further away. Winter Hill, Divis, Llandonna, Moel Y Parc & Caldbeck and with their increased erp's and radiation patterns it's probably win win for them... As for sky one man and his dog with a dish pointed the right way and a box will still get Sky...
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Michael: Sorry, can you remind me again why you don't pay the full fee?
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Hi Brian,
Here on the Isle of Man, we do pay the full fee of £142-50.
We have a problem in that the Over 75s dont get a free TV Licence as in the UK where the BBC waver the fee, in our case it has to be paid for by the DHSS.
The Isle of Man receives very little in return, only a small retainer for an Office at our Manx Radio.
Manx Radio gets a very small contribution from the BBC because they rent a small office at the Manx Radio HQ where they have I think two full time staff who are involved in reporting for the BBC locally and who help with the training of radio journalists. The income is either very small or non-existent (probably because the rent of the office is paid for by Manx Radio paying small fees for training). So the BBC is definitely not paying big amounts of money to keep Manx Radio going.
Here on the Isle of Man, we do pay the full fee of £142-50.
We have a problem in that the Over 75s dont get a free TV Licence as in the UK where the BBC waver the fee, in our case it has to be paid for by the DHSS.
The Isle of Man receives very little in return, only a small retainer for an Office at our Manx Radio.
Manx Radio gets a very small contribution from the BBC because they rent a small office at the Manx Radio HQ where they have I think two full time staff who are involved in reporting for the BBC locally and who help with the training of radio journalists. The income is either very small or non-existent (probably because the rent of the office is paid for by Manx Radio paying small fees for training). So the BBC is definitely not paying big amounts of money to keep Manx Radio going.
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Michael: The BBC do not "waver the fee" for the over 75s, the licence is paid for out of central taxation and the BBC gets the money.
I suspect you will find that you are not alone in not having a BBC local radio service.
I suspect you will find that you are not alone in not having a BBC local radio service.
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So the BBC charge you right upto the Grave!
What is the reason why the licence fee cannot be collected via direct taxation, if they want to keep the BBC funded the way it is?
I have asked 3 political parties and they will not answer this?
That method would cut out people getting billed every year, it would cut out the office in Bristol, It would cut out these enforcement officers and taking people to Court.
The system is unfair that 4 adults can share a house and 1 person can live alone, yet in both cases they get the same bill!
I don't understand this!
What is the reason why the licence fee cannot be collected via direct taxation, if they want to keep the BBC funded the way it is?
I have asked 3 political parties and they will not answer this?
That method would cut out people getting billed every year, it would cut out the office in Bristol, It would cut out these enforcement officers and taking people to Court.
The system is unfair that 4 adults can share a house and 1 person can live alone, yet in both cases they get the same bill!
I don't understand this!
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Michael: Well, yes, why would they not?
The BBC money can be paid for direct taxation, but this would break the link between the BBC and the payment for it.
All three parties prefer the TVL to central taxation, because this unloads the responsibility onto the BBC.
Prosecutions are no all done in Bristol, they are done via the local magistrates court.
ALL taxation systems are "unfair", I guess you are saying that it is not "progressive".
The BBC money can be paid for direct taxation, but this would break the link between the BBC and the payment for it.
All three parties prefer the TVL to central taxation, because this unloads the responsibility onto the BBC.
Prosecutions are no all done in Bristol, they are done via the local magistrates court.
ALL taxation systems are "unfair", I guess you are saying that it is not "progressive".
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hi Brian, I don't understand?
What would be the disadvantage of breaking the link between the BBC and payment for it?
What is meant by "I guess you are saying that it is not "progressive".
What would be the disadvantage of breaking the link between the BBC and payment for it?
What is meant by "I guess you are saying that it is not "progressive".
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