Stop the Proposed "Internet Tax": No Levy for the BBC – Move to a Subscription Model!
The Issue
To: The Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and Members of the UK Parliament
We, the undersigned citizens of the United Kingdom, state unequivocally: We will not accept, nor will we pay, any universal levy, broadband surcharge, or modernised TV Licence tax imposed on our households.
For years, the TV Licence fee has been an outdated, coercive mechanism. Today, millions of Britons have walked away from traditional broadcast television, legally cancelling their licences because they do not consume BBC programming. Now, faced with a collapsing business model and dwindling public trust ahead of the 2027 Royal Charter review, proposals are being explored to replace the licence with an unavoidable universal media levy or an internet connection surcharge.
This is unacceptable.
The internet is an essential utility for modern work, education, banking, and communication—not a vehicle to funnel public funds into a broadcaster many citizens actively reject.
Why the Public Rejects This:
No Taxation Without Consent: Forcing people who never use BBC services to pay for them via their broadband bill or council tax is unjust. In a modern media landscape dominated by choice, consumers pay for what they choose to watch.
A Complete Failure of Accountability: Public trust in the BBC has been shattered by decades of institutional cover-ups, executive mismanagement, and high-profile safeguarding scandals—from the catastrophic cover-ups of Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris to recent high-profile scandals involving senior presenters like Huw Edwards. The public should not be legally coerced into bankrolling an organisation plagued by such failures of oversight and ethics.
The Subscription Solution Exists: In the digital age, technology allows any broadcaster to encrypt its channels and place them behind an authenticated paywall. Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and countless other media services survive on consumer merit. If the BBC produces content the public truly values, it can easily sustain itself through an optional, opt-in subscription.
Government Serves the Public: The Government is elected by the people to represent the people, not to serve as an enforcement arm for the BBC. We will not tolerate being treated as a captive revenue stream for an organisation that refuses to modernise.
Our Demands:
Immediately and permanently abandon all proposals to introduce a universal household media levy, council tax precept, or broadband connection fee for public broadcasting.
Abolish the criminalisation and coercive enforcement tactics of TV Licensing.
Transition the BBC to a voluntary subscription-based model, ensuring that only those who choose to access its services pay for them.
Sign and share this petition to tell Westminster: We will not fund the BBC by force.
339
The Issue
To: The Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and Members of the UK Parliament
We, the undersigned citizens of the United Kingdom, state unequivocally: We will not accept, nor will we pay, any universal levy, broadband surcharge, or modernised TV Licence tax imposed on our households.
For years, the TV Licence fee has been an outdated, coercive mechanism. Today, millions of Britons have walked away from traditional broadcast television, legally cancelling their licences because they do not consume BBC programming. Now, faced with a collapsing business model and dwindling public trust ahead of the 2027 Royal Charter review, proposals are being explored to replace the licence with an unavoidable universal media levy or an internet connection surcharge.
This is unacceptable.
The internet is an essential utility for modern work, education, banking, and communication—not a vehicle to funnel public funds into a broadcaster many citizens actively reject.
Why the Public Rejects This:
No Taxation Without Consent: Forcing people who never use BBC services to pay for them via their broadband bill or council tax is unjust. In a modern media landscape dominated by choice, consumers pay for what they choose to watch.
A Complete Failure of Accountability: Public trust in the BBC has been shattered by decades of institutional cover-ups, executive mismanagement, and high-profile safeguarding scandals—from the catastrophic cover-ups of Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris to recent high-profile scandals involving senior presenters like Huw Edwards. The public should not be legally coerced into bankrolling an organisation plagued by such failures of oversight and ethics.
The Subscription Solution Exists: In the digital age, technology allows any broadcaster to encrypt its channels and place them behind an authenticated paywall. Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and countless other media services survive on consumer merit. If the BBC produces content the public truly values, it can easily sustain itself through an optional, opt-in subscription.
Government Serves the Public: The Government is elected by the people to represent the people, not to serve as an enforcement arm for the BBC. We will not tolerate being treated as a captive revenue stream for an organisation that refuses to modernise.
Our Demands:
Immediately and permanently abandon all proposals to introduce a universal household media levy, council tax precept, or broadband connection fee for public broadcasting.
Abolish the criminalisation and coercive enforcement tactics of TV Licensing.
Transition the BBC to a voluntary subscription-based model, ensuring that only those who choose to access its services pay for them.
Sign and share this petition to tell Westminster: We will not fund the BBC by force.
Supporter Voices
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on 23 September 2026