The number of BBC TV licences held by viewers in Scotland has plunged by nearly 50,000 over the past year, new figures reveal.
asserted
figures → hold → year
One in 39 licences disappeared as doubt grows over the future of corporation funding amid criticism that the levy is unsustainable in an age of subscription television.
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levy → disappear → television
The broadcaster said the figures are estimates calculated from the proportion of licensed premises in Scotland and include both paid-for licences and free licences issued to eligible over-75s.
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figures → say → over-75s
The figures come ahead of a shake-up set to be announced soon which could see major cuts to save money including the possible axeing of the controversial BBC Scotland channel.
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which → come → channel
A source at the corporation told the Mail: ‘Everything linear can be seen as potentially at risk.’
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Everything → tell → risk
Scottish Tory culture spokesman Murdo Fraser said: ‘With fewer Scots now willing to pay the licence fee, the corporation must reflect on whether it is delivering value for money.
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it → say → money
‘Many people are clearly feeling they should not be forced to pay for a service they increasingly feel does not reflect their interests, particularly when the BBC is cutting back elsewhere.
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BBC → feel → interests
‘A dedicated BBC Scotland channel has a crucial role to play, but its future should depend on delivering high-quality, distinctive Scottish content - not simply preserving a channel for the sake of it.’
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future → have → it
Presenter Amy Irons works across different BBC platforms
The figures emerged only after the BBC was challenged through its Freedom of Information (FOI) appeals process after it initially said it did not hold information on Scottish licence-fee payers, in response to a request by the Mail.
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it → work → Mail
After this newspaper requested a review of the decision, the BBC revealed the number of licences in Scotland fell from 1,896,530 in 2024-25 to 1,848,190 in 2025-26.
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number → request → 2025
The decline of 48,340 licences represents a 2.5 per cent fall in just 12 months.
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decline → represent → months
Last year the BBC’s boss in Scotland said Scots are less ‘positive’ about the BBC than viewers elsewhere in the UK due to the country’s ‘polarised society’.
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Scots → say → society
Hayley Valentine also said people may not be paying for a TV licence because of the cost-of-living crisis and the wide choice of programmes across streaming services.
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people → say → services
Ms Valentine, who became Director of BBC Scotland in October 2024, said there was a unique ‘challenge’ in Scotland as negative perceptions of the broadcaster’s output were fuelled by division over politics and football.
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perceptions → become → politics
Appearing before MPs at the Scottish Affairs Committee in the Commons, Ms Valentine was asked about research by broadcasting regulator Ofcom showing ‘positive perceptions’ of the BBC were lower in Scotland than in other parts of the UK.
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perceptions → appear → UK
The disclosure comes amid continuing debate over the future of the licence fee, which costs £180 a year.
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which → come → 180
At the same time, the BBC has embarked on its biggest cost-cutting drive in more than a decade.
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BBC → embark → decade
The corporation is seeking to save £500million and cut up to 2,000 jobs across the UK, with 60 jobs expected to go in Scotland.
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jobs → seek → Scotland
The figures come amid uncertainty over the future of the BBC Scotland channel.
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figures → come → channel
The Guardian reported that the broadcaster is considering whether some television services should move online-only as part of a £500million cost-cutting drive.
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services → report → drive
BBC Scotland has been repeatedly cited by industry insiders as a channel under scrutiny because of its relatively high cost per viewer.
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Scotland → cite → viewer
The corporation has failed to disclose the latest spending figures on the channel, following a separate FOI request by the Mail – a decision which was condemned by critics.
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which → fail → critics
The channel was launched in February 2019 as a dedicated channel for Scottish audiences.
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channel → launch → audiences
It has been repeatedly criticised over its low viewing figures and poor value for money.
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It → criticise → money
In 2025, news show Reporting Scotland: News at Seven, presented by Amy Irons, replaced The Nine, which was scrapped due to low viewing figures.
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which → present → figures
At one point it reached just 1,700 people.
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it → reach → people
One source at the BBC’s headquarters in Glasgow told the Mail the ‘general sense in the building is that the closure of BBC Scotland channel is inevitable’.
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closure → tell → channel
The insider said: ‘Few will be shocked or put up a fight like they might for jobs or specific programmes.
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they → say → jobs
‘It would probably be a medium-term closure – for example shut with a proper farewell during 2028 - rather than an immediate closure.
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It → shut → 2028
‘So little new material is made for BBC Scotland channel now that closure may not have a massive effect on commissioning.’
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closure → make → commissioning
Commenting on the situation across the UK, the source said: ‘BBC Three is very vulnerable too, while BBC Four is a little safer as so much of its content is archive.
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much → comment → content
‘Everything linear can be seen as potentially at risk - other than the two main TV channels and the traditional radio stations.’
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Everything → see → channels
In August, the Mail revealed the jobs of all news presenters at the BBC in Scotland are at risk as part of the jobs cull.
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jobs → reveal → cull
Staff believe dropping high-profile figures is under consideration as managers seek to cut posts amid the wider cost-saving drive.
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managers → believe → drive
A BBC spokesman said the corporation believed the current licence fee model was no longer sustainable.
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model → say → ?
Referring to its response to the Government’s broadcasting Green Paper, the broadcaster said: ‘The current model cannot maintain the BBC’s public service mission for the future.
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model → refer → future
‘When 94 per cent of people use the BBC each month yet fewer than 80 per cent of households contribute, reform is needed to deliver sufficient funding in a way that is sustainable and fair for all.’
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that → use → all
The BBC could axe the BBC Scotland channel as part of its cost-cutting plans
The spokesman said: ‘We were clear that further savings across all divisions would be set out in the coming months, with every department contributing, and this would include a review of our broadcast TV channels and our radio network portfolio.
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this → axe → channels
‘We have nothing further to add to this.’
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We → have → this
Professor John Cook, a media expert at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: ‘The TV licensing system is under great pressure with Government ministers and current BBC leadership alike calling it “outdated”.
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ministers → say → it
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
