The BBC's licence fee income in the United Kingdom (UK) 2010-2023

In 2023, the BBC generated a licence fee income of 3.74 billion British pounds. The income from license fees remained quite stable within the last decade, with 2018 seeing the highest figure.

The end is near for BBC’s licence fee

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is primarily funded through a licence fee. This tax, which currently stands at 159 British pounds per year with an expected rise of around 10.50 British pounds, must be paid by every household in the UK to receive live television programming (on any channel), stream online television content via the internet, or watch BBC programs on iPlayer – regardless of the device that is used. Data from the corporation's latest financial report showcased that the licence fee accounted for over 70 percent of the BBC's total annual income in 2022 but based on the government's decision to abolish the fee by 2027, the BBC and its programming are facing an uncertain future.

What are other revenue streams of the BBC?

Even though the funding model of the BBC allows the public service broadcaster to circumvent commercials and remain politically impartial, the corporation also generates revenue through advertising. Its three commercial subsidiaries include BBC Studios, BBC Global News, and BBC Studio networks, all of which operate across multiple platforms and global markets. In 2022, the advertising income of the BBC Group reached its highest levels to date at over 300 million British pounds. Categories of advertising prohibited from airing on any of the BBC's channels include ads promoting religious belief systems, adult products and services, tobacco products, weapons, and politics (in the UK only).