UK Culture Secretary Keeps TV Licence Open for Streamers

The Culture Secretary has declined to rule out extending the television licence fee to households that only use streaming services, while confirming the government will not impose a direct levy on companies like Netflix or Amazon. Lisa Nandy made the statements during a session of Culture Questions in the House of Commons on Thursday, June 18, 2026.

Responding to a challenge from Conservative MP Bradley Thomas to explicitly rule out applying the fee to streaming service subscribers, Nandy said the government was keeping its options open ahead of the BBC's charter renewal. She stated that a levy on streaming companies and direct taxation to fund the BBC had both been ruled out to protect the broadcaster's independence. However, she stopped short of rejecting an expansion of the existing £180 annual licence fee to cover homes that exclusively watch on-demand content, a loophole that currently allows millions to avoid the charge if they do not watch live broadcasts or use BBC iPlayer.

The clarification comes amid intense scrutiny of the BBC's long-term funding. The corporation's current Royal Charter is set to expire in December 2027, and the government has launched a review...