BBC spending: What does the BBC spend its money on?

THE BBC this week announced plans to axe BBC-funded free Idiot box licences for 3.7million over-75s, and this decision has been met with anger. So what does the BBC spend its money on?

BBC spending

BBC spending: What do the BBC spend their money on? (Image: GETTY)

Hundreds of thousands of people have signed petitions calling on the BBC to rethink the decision to axe BBC-funded TV licences for millions of over-75s. From June 1, 2020, iii.7million pensioners will lose their right to a gratuitous Boob tube licence. Boob tube licences from June 2020 will be ways tested, significant that the licences will only exist free for those receiving Pension Credit.

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Those afflicted will accept to pay the annual £154.50 fee to legally watch TV and use the iPlayer catch up service.

At the time of the announcement on Mon, BBC chairman David Clementi said information technology had been a "very difficult decision".

He said: "We think it's fair to those over 75 but besides to all our audiences for whom there was no ambition for the level of cuts that would have been necessary if the concession had been extended.

"There are people for whom this volition be unwelcome news, who have non paid until now just will do so."

Read More: PEOPLE Power: SWITCH OFF THE BBC on Friday against OAP licence fee axe

BBC spending

BBC spending: What do the BBC spend their money on? (Image: GETTY)

There are three petitions which have taken off in response to the decision, one, Age UK'south petition, calls on the government to render to funding gratuitous licence fees for the over-75s.

This petition has already achieved more than 430,000 signatures.

Another 128,000 people have signed a petition on the Parliament website calling on the universal benefit to keep - breaching the 100,000 level needed for it to be considered for a debate.

The 3rd calls for the licence fee to be abolished entirely considering information technology is "too expensive" and has attracted more than 186,000 supporters.

Read More than: BBC BACKLASH: Now Ben Fogle will donate entire salary to fund TV fees

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BBC spending

BBC spending: The BBC axing funded TV licences for many has caused anger (Image: PA)

So what does the BBC spend its money on?

The BBC Annual Report and Accounts for 2017/18 shows what the corporation spends its money on. The post-obit is spent on TV:

  • BBC One- £i.2bn
  • BBC 2- £481.2 million
  • BBC Four- £52.3 million
  • CBBC- £96.1 million
  • CBeebies - £43.four million
  • BBC ALBA- £10.seven million
  • BBC News Channel - £68.ii one thousand thousand
  • BBC Parliament - £10.ane million
  • The BBC pays a combined £655.6 million for radio, that includes Radio ane, Radio two, Radio 3, Radio 4 and services in Scotland and Wales.

BBC spending

BBC spending: Some take cancelled their TV licences in retaliation (Image: GETTY)

BBC spending

BBC spending: Those who do not receive Pension Credit volition accept to pay for their TV licence (Paradigm: GETTY)

  • The price for the BBC Online website and the red push button service is £290.3 million.
  • Some of the other services the BBC spends money on are as follows:
  • Orchestras and performing groups - £32.two million
  • Development Spend - £57.3 million
  • BBC World Service Grant - £70.5 million
  • BBC World Service Operating Licence - £268.iii million
  • Building a new EastEnders Albert Square set - £86 million

In retaliation to the announcement, scores of people accept taken to Twitter to announce they accept cancelled their own Tv licences.

One wrote: "I've cancelled my BBC licence, after what they've done to the over 75s… Utterly disgusted."

Another said: "Just cancelled past @BBC Tv licence and disconnected my aerial in response to the @BBC poor decision to cancel television set licence fee waiver for the over 75s!"