Prosperity 2030 UCL · IGP Prosperity 2030

Universal Information Service

Information as a public service

Universal Service · digital, work
Public Information
BBC & GOV
Free access to BBC and GOV
Per Household Saving
£180 / year
Equivalent commercial cost
Cost of Living Reduction
£5.11 Billion / year
Total household savings every year

A healthy democracy requires a well-connected and informed citizenry. The Prosperity 2030 programme includes two policies that directly strengthen these capacities for all: Information and Digital Universal Services.

The BBC, the UK’s national public broadcaster, has a charter to provide unbiased news and information for everyone. It has always been funded through parliamentary appropriation, it's just been disguised behind a regressive household licence fee, which P2030 abolishes.

Immediately upon assuming office, the new parliament abolishes the TV Licence fee. This saves every household £180. £4 billion a year is budgeted to replace BBC revenues (In the 2025/26 financial year, the BBC's TV licence fee revenue was £3.9 billion1).

The reserves held by the BBC for the remainder of Licence terms are returned to the Treasury for use in other programs, notably to kick-start the National Food Services.

Going forward, the government will then establish a per capita funding formula overseen by a Commission.

  1. National Audit Office (2026) Department for Culture, Media & Sport, and the BBC 2024-25. London: National Audit Office. Available at: https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DCMSBBC-2024-25.pdf (Accessed: 4 June 2026).

Published 18 May 2026