BBC: Now is the time to make the most of your TV licence before things change drastically in 2024

Recent controversies surrounding BBC presenters and radio hosts may leave you questioning why you should bother with a TV licence and where exactly taxpayers' money is going here. And as valid as that is, I feel there's another way to look at it all.

Now is the time to make the most of your TV licence before things drastically change.

And yes, while there have been decisions made by the BBC that raise eyebrows, we can still praise the wealth of TV shows our licence has helped fund including The Split, Sherwood, Bodyguard, and even rumours of a follow-up season of The Night Manager.

What's been on our screens has been brilliant, but the picture gets muddier when we consider what has been happening behind the scenes.

And yes, in the middle of a cost of living crisis, £159 to watch TV is expensive - but as BBC bosses have pointed out, it costs 44p a day and works out at just over £13 a month - not too different to your Netflix subscription is that? Let's not forget, this also includes access to exclusive things like football highlights on Match of the Day. But then again, the BBC fee isn't optional and, if you don't pay it, you will end up in court.

But anyway, the cost of the TV licence needs to be taken into perspective of what is happening elsewhere. We've seen inflation come down this month to its lowest point in 18 months and throughout that time.

Back in the 2010s, the Government policy was to see the price of a TV licence rise with inflation - but that was before it reached the heights it has been at during and after the Covid pandemic.

In 2022, the then Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said TV licenses would not rise again until 2024.

Some predict this means a substantial price hick of around 8.7 percent so the figure you pay for a licence could be much closer to £200 at around £172. That's a very substantial hike, particularly when we consider how much it has gone up by recently.

My point here is to enjoy it while it lasts. Watch all the best soaps, dramas, panel shows that the BBC currently has to offer because in a year or so, it may look too expensive for many of us to enjoy it.

As suggested earlier, it may be a case of fitting the TV licence in the same bracket as your Disney+ and Netflix subscriptions and deciding where your money is best spent based on what you watch.

And if you feel you'll miss out on too much without a TV licence - while of course bearing in mind if you even watch live TV at home - also consider the fact that the whole thing will be under review in 2027. Three years without a licence hardly sounds like misery?