{"id":779372,"date":"2026-09-22T23:18:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T23:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/779372\/"},"modified":"2026-09-22T23:18:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T23:18:44","slug":"how-bbc-licence-fee-could-be-scrapped-for-a-new-11-monthly-internet-charge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/779372\/","title":{"rendered":"How BBC licence fee could be scrapped for a new \u00a311 monthly internet charge"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The licence fee could be axed and replaced by an \u00a311-a-month internet levy \u2013 and viewers invited to become \u201cBBC members\u201d \u2013 under radical proposals to reform the corporation being considered by the Government.<\/p>\n<p>A charge added to broadband bills, which would be nearly \u00a350 cheaper than the current \u00a3180 licence fee, is the long-term solution for funding the BBC drawn up by the Social Market Foundation (SMF), a cross-party think-tank which is influential with ministers.<\/p>\n<p>The proposals will be among the options considered by ministers as part of the Government\u2019s ongoing Charter review into the future of the BBC.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\tShorts\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\tScroll to previous short<br \/>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/inews-theme\/assets\/images\/chevron.svg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\tScroll to next short<br \/>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/inews-theme\/assets\/images\/chevron.svg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/inews-theme\/assets\/images\/chevron.svg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>How bereavement leave is changing<\/p>\n<p>From April next year, employees\u2019 entitlement to unpaid time off work after suffering a bereavement will extend to step and half relatives, as well as foster, kinship care and adoptive relationships.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"460\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313512532.jpg\" alt=\"Woman in red blouse putting flowers to a loved one in the cemetery.\" class=\"wp-image-4782241\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: Woman in red blouse putting flowers to a loved one in the cemetery.<br \/>Photographer: Antonio Hugo Photo<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Moment RF<\/p>\n<p>\nA change in the law\n<\/p>\n<p>The new legislation will include employees who lose a spouse, partner, parent, adult child or sibling. Those who suffer a bereavement will be entitled to up to two weeks\u2019 unpaid leave.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313512620.jpg\" alt=\"Depressed woman sitting on sofa at home.\" class=\"wp-image-4782242\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: Depressed woman sitting on sofa at home.<br \/>Photographer: Maria Korneeva<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Moment RF<\/p>\n<p>The Government had already confirmed the new rights will apply to parents who experience a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy. <\/p>\n<p>What was previously covered<\/p>\n<p>A legal right to unpaid leave for employees who had suffered a bereavement was only introduced under The Employment Rights Act of December 2025. <\/p>\n<p>Before that, only parents who had lost a child under 18 or stillborn from 24 weeks had a legal right to bereavement leave.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/hidden-signs-missed-about-harry-meghan-spencers-4779967?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119093_263_SEI_313440810.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_label\">Big Read<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">5 min read<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/earl-spencers-5-most-damaging-royal-claims-4779874?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_311548612.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_label\">Explained<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">4 min read<\/p>\n<p>Support for those grieving<\/p>\n<p>No one should have to fight for time to grieve. These changes back people going through some of the hardest moments of life, whoever they are and wherever they work.<\/p>\n<p>Minister for the Future of Work, Kate Dearden<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313512516.jpg\" alt=\"Two women sitting in armchairs and talking. Woman psychologist talking to patient woman. Coach giving hands to smiling woman. Therapist's gestures. Female talking in coworking office\" class=\"wp-image-4782240\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: Two women sitting in armchairs and talking. Woman psychologist talking to patient woman. Coach giving hands to smiling woman. Therapist\u2019s gestures. Female talking in coworking office<br \/>Photographer: Fiordaliso<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Moment RF<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--badge\">news<\/p>\n<p>Why babies infected in the womb are \u2018more likely to have autism\u2019<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313514308.jpg\" alt=\"Mum with long blonde hair holding baby who is looking at camera with fingers outstretched\" class=\"wp-image-4782309\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: Mum with long blonde hair holding baby who is looking at camera with fingers outstretched<br \/>Photographer: Sarah Mason<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Digital Vision<\/p>\n<p>Babies could be at a higher risk of autism and intellectual disability if they contract infections such as rubella and herpes in the womb, a new study has suggested.<\/p>\n<p>What you need to know about the study<\/p>\n<p>Researchers from Sweden\u2019s Karolinska Institute analysed health records from 3.7 million people born between 1987 and 2021.<\/p>\n<p>975 of these had been diagnosed with a so-called congenital \u201ctorch\u201d infection \u2013  a group of parasitic, bacterial and viral diseases.<\/p>\n<p>Children known to have had one of these before birth were around three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism, and seven times more likely to have an intellectual disability.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers also found that those who had been infected, but had neither of these tended to have slightly lower school grades at 16.<\/p>\n<p>Family circumstances not a factor<\/p>\n<p>To check whether genetics or family circumstances might have affected the result, the researchers compared the affected children with siblings who had not contracted a congenital infection, but the associations with autism and intellectual disability remained. <\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/flights-delayed-by-new-air-traffic-control-failure-4779875?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_311420523_83fc27.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">4 min read<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/inews-lifestyle\/children-baby-bust-devastating-primary-schools-4744311?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_310746128.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_label\">Big Read<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">7 min read<\/p>\n<p>\nA low chance of infection\n<\/p>\n<p>Experts emphasised that infections are very rare, occurring in only around 2.5 per 10,000 births.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313514371.jpg\" alt=\"A healthcare professional uses a syringe to draw liquid medicine from a vial.\" class=\"wp-image-4782308\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: A healthcare professional uses a syringe to draw liquid medicine from a vial.<br \/>Photographer: Catherine Falls Commercial<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Moment RF<\/p>\n<p>The authors said the study strengthened the case for vaccination and other measures that stop infections being passed on to the foetus.<\/p>\n<p>\nLimitations to the study\n<\/p>\n<p>The observational study cannot prove that the infections caused autism.<\/p>\n<p>It also relied on clinically diagnosed congenital infections, meaning that milder or symptom-free infections could have been missed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--badge\">world<\/p>\n<p>Why CNN thinks it can sue its way back into White House<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313518626.jpg\" alt=\"US President Donald Trump takes a question from NBC reporter Kelly O'Donnell in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jim WATSON \/ AFP via Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-4782487\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: US President Donald Trump takes a question from NBC reporter Kelly O\u2019Donnell in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 18, 2026. (Photo by Jim WATSON \/ AFP via Getty Images)<br \/>Photographer: JIM WATSON<br \/>Provider: AFP via Getty Images<br \/>Source: AFP<br \/>Copyright: AFP or licensors<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/nick-miller-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;object-fit:cover\"\/> <\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--byline_name\">Nick Miller<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--byline_job-title\">Overnight Editor<\/p>\n<p>After reporters from CNN, MS Now and Politico were denied entry to the White House, the media organisations headed for the courts to get their access back.<\/p>\n<p>The rest of the media suspended some coverage of Donald Trump in sympathy, but he has not backed down, setting up his own \u201cTrump TV\u201d live channel.<\/p>\n<p>\nWhat happened?\n<\/p>\n<p>Mid-afternoon Friday, DC time, Trump officially banned CNN, MS Now and\u00a0Politico\u00a0from the White House, explaining it was \u201ca result of\u00a0their constant \u2018reporting\u2019 FAKE NEWS!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313518614.jpg\" alt=\"WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 21: Signs of support for AP, CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO hang on the White House grounds on September 21, 2026 in Washington, DC. Reporters from MS NOW, CNN, and Politico have been blocked from accessing the White House since September 19th after President Trump said he was banning the three outlets from the property. Those news organizations are now suing President Trump, alleging that it violates the First Amendment. (Photo by Finn Gomez\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-4782488\" style=\"aspect-ratio:5\/4;object-fit:cover;width:204px\"\/>Caption: WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 SEPTEMBER 21: Signs of support for AP, CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO hang on the White House grounds on September 21, 2026 in Washington, DC. Reporters from MS NOW, CNN, and Politico have been blocked from accessing the White House since September 19th after President Trump said he was banning the three outlets from the property. Those news organizations are now suing President Trump, alleging that it violates the First Amendment. (Photo by Finn Gomez\/Getty Images)<br \/>Photographer: Finn Gomez<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Getty Images North America<br \/>Copyright: 2026 Getty Images<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"428\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313518149.jpg\" alt=\"WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 17: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner in the Rose Garden of the White House on September 17, 2026 in Washington, DC. Trump was hosting the dinner for hunters, anglers and outdoor industry leaders after signing executive orders expanding hunting and fishing on public lands and reversing certain restrictions enacted in the Biden administration. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-4782474\" style=\"aspect-ratio:9\/10;object-fit:cover;width:195px\"\/>Caption: WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 SEPTEMBER 17: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner in the Rose Garden of the White House on September 17, 2026 in Washington, DC. Trump was hosting the dinner for hunters, anglers and outdoor industry leaders after signing executive orders expanding hunting and fishing on public lands and reversing certain restrictions enacted in the Biden administration.  (Photo by Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images)<br \/>Photographer: Anna Moneymaker<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Getty Images North America<br \/>Copyright: 2026 Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>He threatened that \u201cOther Fake News Media Outlets [are] to follow\u201d, adding \u201c[t]here\u2019s something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stories\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\nWhy might ban be illegal?\n<\/p>\n<p>The media companies\u2019 legal argument rests on three grounds: that the ban did not follow \u201cdue process\u201d such as allowing notice; that it violates a constitutional right to free speech and that it also violates free speech by denying access to a \u201cnon-public forum\u201d (the White House).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313518144.jpg\" alt=\"WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 20: The White House is seen from the South Lawn on September 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court let construction resume on the ballroom on August 31 in a 5-4 ruling. The Trump administration has also built a new heli-pad on White House grounds and is moving forward with plans for a \" triumphal=\"\" arch=\"\" by=\"\" samuel=\"\" corum=\"\" images=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4782470\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 SEPTEMBER 20: The White House is seen from the South Lawn on September 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court let construction resume on the ballroom on August 31 in a 5-4 ruling. The Trump administration has also built a new heli-pad on White House grounds and is moving forward with plans for a \u201ctriumphal arch\u201d. (Photo by Samuel Corum\/Getty Images)<br \/>Photographer: Samuel Corum<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Getty Images North America<br \/>Copyright: 2026 Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>Washington DC\u2019s district court judge Timothy Kelly ordered that the defendants file a response the next day, with a hearing set for Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>What did Trump say?<\/p>\n<p>Trump claimed to have \u201cexpected\u201d\u00a0the lawsuit,\u00a0and again attacked\u00a0the media organisations, saying the Oval Office \u201cshould be treated with Decorum, Respect, and Dignity, not defiled by Third Rate Clowns\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>But he seemed to anticipate being ruled against in the court, saying \u201cwe\u2019ll go for appeal\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/world\/big-red-truck-china-overtaking-west-4767547?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313437221.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">3 min read<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/world\/maga-diehards-rejected-conspiracies-trump-4757029?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_312692176.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">5 min read<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313518146.jpg\" alt=\"WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 28: Timothy J. Kelly, nominee to be a United States District Judge for the District of Columbia, testifies during a Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing on Capitol Hill, June 28, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-4782473\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 JUNE 28: Timothy J. Kelly, nominee to be a United States District Judge for the District of Columbia, testifies during a Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing on Capitol Hill, June 28, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer\/Getty Images)<br \/>Photographer: Drew Angerer<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Getty Images North America<br \/>Copyright: 2017 Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>What does the law say?<\/p>\n<p>Timothy Kelly previously ruled on a similar case. In 2018, he ordered that a CNN reporter should get his White House press pass back after he was banned following\u00a0a contentious exchange with the President.<\/p>\n<p>Experts note that because a system has been created that allows journalists access to parts of the White House, courts have placed limits on how access can be withdrawn.<\/p>\n<p>But, an appellate court previously ruled that presidents retain substantial authority\u00a0over who they allow into limited-access settings.<\/p>\n<p>Are other media taking sides?<\/p>\n<p>Major US television outlets\u00a0agreed to suspend\u00a0some video coverage of Trump, in a demonstration of solidarity with the banned channels.<\/p>\n<p>No broadcaster covered the ribbon-cutting for the White House\u2019s new helipad, and the President\u2019s remarks were inaudible on a hastily-arranged live stream.<\/p>\n<p>Media organisations also joined in a boycott of the photographic pool at the White House.<\/p>\n<p>There was normal media coverage for the President\u2019s visit to meet New York City Mayor\u00a0Zohran Mamdani, who said he had told Trump that all members of the press would be present.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119105_170_SEI_313503234.jpg\" alt=\"CANTERBURY, ENGLAND - MARCH 16: Staff and students, some wearing face masks, queue to receive antibiotics at the University of Kent in Canterbury after an outbreak of meningitis caused the deaths of two people, on March 16, 2026 in Canterbury, United Kingdom. Two people have died amid an outbreak of meningitis at the University of Kent in Canterbury. Thirteen cases have been reported since Friday, reportedly affecting university students aged between 18 and 21. Children and young people are the most at risk of the disease, often caused by a bacterial or viral infection, which leads to inflammation of the meninges, or protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is contacting 30,000 students and staff of the university to notify them of the outbreak. (Photo by Carl Court\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-4781853\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: CANTERBURY, ENGLAND \u2013 MARCH 16: Staff and students, some wearing face masks, queue to receive antibiotics at the University of Kent in Canterbury after an outbreak of meningitis caused the deaths of two people, on March 16, 2026 in Canterbury, United Kingdom. Two people have died amid an outbreak of meningitis at the University of Kent in Canterbury. Thirteen cases have been reported since Friday, reportedly affecting university students aged between 18 and 21. Children and young people are the most at risk of the disease, often caused by a bacterial or viral infection, which leads to inflammation of the meninges, or protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is contacting 30,000 students and staff of the university to notify them of the outbreak. (Photo by Carl Court\/Getty Images)<br \/>Photographer: Carl Court<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Getty Images Europe<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--badge\">news<\/p>\n<p>Analysis reveals why Kent meningitis outbreak was so severe<\/p>\n<p>Scientists have revealed what made the bacteria behind a deadly meningitis B outbreak in Kent in March particularly dangerous.<\/p>\n<p>The context<\/p>\n<p>Twenty-one people were diagnosed with invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in a week, in the outbreak which was linked to a nightclub in Canterbury.<\/p>\n<p>Two teenagers died and nine required intensive care.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/alzheimers-care-targets-4774676?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119106_318_SEI_312959802.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_label\">Exclusive<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">3 min read<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/health\/how-people-adhd-benefits-cut-4773754?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119106_0_GettyImages-2190839504.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_label\">Explained<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">3 min read<\/p>\n<p>\nWhy it was so dangerous\n<\/p>\n<p>Experts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and University of Oxford found that the bacteria underwent a process called horizontal gene transfer \u2013 where it picked up small pieces of DNA from other bacteria.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119108_839_SEI_313503235.jpg\" alt=\"A female African-American scientist conducting and research on scientific sample though a microscope in a pharmaceutical laboratory.\" class=\"wp-image-4781854\" style=\"aspect-ratio:5\/4;object-fit:cover;width:204px\"\/>Caption: A female African-American scientist conducting and research on scientific sample though a microscope  in a pharmaceutical laboratory.<br \/>Photographer: Nitat Termmee<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Moment RF<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119109_427_SEI_313503233.jpg\" alt=\"Meningococcus seen under a scanning electron microscope. (Photo by: BSIP\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-4781851\" style=\"aspect-ratio:9\/10;object-fit:cover;width:195px\"\/>Caption: Meningococcus seen under a scanning electron microscope. (Photo by: BSIP\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)<br \/>Photographer: BSIP<br \/>Provider: Universal Images Group via Getty<br \/>Source: Universal Images Group Editorial<br \/>Copyright: CAVALLINI JAMES \/ BSIP<\/p>\n<p>This means the bacteria can borrow genetic traits without reproducing and changes how it interacts with human cells. The change made it particularly effective at causing severe illness and may have affected how the immune system recognised it.<\/p>\n<p>How the UK is trying to prevent future outbreaks<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119110_946_SEI_313503323.jpg\" alt=\"teenage girl receiving her Covid-19 vaccination from a nurse\" class=\"wp-image-4781852\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: teenage girl receiving her Covid-19 vaccination from a nurse<br \/>Photographer: Thana Prasongsin<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Moment RF<br \/>Copyright: ja<\/p>\n<p>The UKHSA has said these invasive strains are unpredictable and can emerge suddenly, meaning there is a high likelihood of this happening again.<\/p>\n<p>Following the Kent outbreak, a one-off menB vaccination programme was launched as universities start again.<\/p>\n<p>What else is being done?<\/p>\n<p>The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has also recommended that teenagers be offered the jab on the NHS at the age of 15.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/meningitis-cases-rise-34-fears-outbreak-beyond-kent-4309789?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119111_938_SEI_290275477.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">2 min read<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/opinion\/canterbury-what-people-saying-meningitis-outbreak-4299884?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119112_375_SEI_289843729.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">4 min read<\/p>\n<p>How PIP claims for ADHD are rising for teens in richer areas<\/p>\n<p>The number of 16- to 17-year-olds claiming personal independence payment (PIP) for ADHD and autism has more than tripled in richer areas over six years, according to analysis by the Nuffield Trust.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119112_815_SEI_313506521.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up on digital tablet on desk top. (Mock-up.)\" class=\"wp-image-4781936\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: Close-up on digital tablet on desk top. (Mock-up.)<br \/>Photographer: John_Lamb<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: iStockphoto<\/p>\n<p>What is PIP for?<\/p>\n<p>PIP is the main benefit paid to people who have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and is intended to help with everyday tasks and living costs. <\/p>\n<p>According to government statistics from July, there were 4.1 million claimants entitled to PIP in England and Wales.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/first-time-buyer-isa-new-plan-fix-slow-housing-market-crash-4774883?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119113_852_SEI_313444897.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_label\">Big Read<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">5 min read<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/politics\/reform-council-meltdown-car-park-cut-grass-4776119?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119114_257_SEI_312986648.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">4 min read<\/p>\n<p>\nA closer look at the figures\n<\/p>\n<p>While the amount of teenagers claiming PIP in deprived areas is higher, the number has grown at a slower rate, from 2.1 per cent in 2019 to 5.1 per cent last year. <\/p>\n<p>This compares to a rise from 0.8 per cent to 2.5 per cent for teenagers from the least-deprived neighbourhoods.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"430\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119115_359_SEI_313506523.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4781937\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Photographer: Maskot<br \/>Provider: Getty Images\/Maskot<br \/>Source: Maskot<br \/>Copyright: Copyright Maskot<\/p>\n<p>The think-tank also found that PIP recipient rates for ADHD and autism for white people were higher overall than those of other ethnicities.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"483\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119117_649_SEI_313508969.jpg\" alt=\"Former British nurse and convicted child serial killer Lucy Letby appears by video link during an appeal against her conviction for trying to murder a newborn baby, at the Court of Appeal in London, Britain, October 24, 2024, in this courtroom sketch. Courtesy of Julia Quenzler\/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT\" class=\"wp-image-4782096\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: Former British nurse and convicted child serial killer Lucy Letby appears by video link during an appeal against her conviction for trying to murder a newborn baby, at the Court of Appeal in London, Britain, October 24, 2024, in this courtroom sketch. Courtesy of Julia Quenzler\/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT<br \/>Photographer: Julia Quenzler<br \/>Provider: via REUTERS<br \/>Source: Handout<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--badge\">news<\/p>\n<p>The new claims about Lucy Letby \u2013 and what it means for appeal<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119117_85_Stephen-Robson.jpg\" alt=\"\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;object-fit:cover\"\/> <\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--byline_name\">Steve Robson<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--byline_job-title\">Northern Correspondent<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/topic\/lucy-letby?ico=in-line_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lucy Letby<\/a>\u00a0has failed \u2013 twice \u2013 to get judges to overturn her convictions for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more. However, fresh claims that her prosecution is a major miscarriage of justice have been made in the new documentary, Lucy Letby \u2013 Scapegoat?, a collaboration between\u00a0The Sun\u00a0and Channel 5.<\/p>\n<p>\n\u2018Letby was a scapegoat\u2019\n<\/p>\n<p>A doctor who worked alongside Letby at the Countess of Chester Hospital says he believes the evidence used to convict her is \u201cextremely poor\u201d and that there was no killer on the neonatal unit, saying instead she was a \u201cscapegoat\u201d used by hospital bosses to cover up the unit\u2019s poor performance.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119119_63_SEI_313509021.jpg\" alt=\"CHESTER, ENGLAND - JULY 03: General view of the Countess of Chester Hospital on July 3, 2018 in Chester, United Kingdom. Health care worker at the Countess of Chester Hospital, Lucy Letby, has been arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies. Cheshire Police having been have been investigating the deaths of 17 newborns at the neonatal unit between March 2015 and July 2016. (Photo by Anthony Devlin\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-4782093\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: CHESTER, ENGLAND \u2013 JULY 03:  General view of the Countess of Chester Hospital on July 3, 2018 in Chester, United Kingdom. Health care worker at the Countess of Chester Hospital, Lucy Letby, has been arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies.  Cheshire Police having been have been investigating the deaths of 17 newborns at the neonatal unit between March 2015 and July 2016.  (Photo by Anthony Devlin\/Getty Images)<br \/>Photographer: Anthony Devlin<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Getty Images Europe<br \/>Copyright: ANTHONY DEVLIN<\/p>\n<p>Individual failings and sub-optimal care at the hospital were discussed at length during both of\u00a0Letby\u2019s trials, but prosecutors insisted they did not explain the deaths.<\/p>\n<p>Some details \u2018not shared with jury\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The documentary claims there was a set of results relating to a baby who was poisoned by Letby that were not shared with the jury.<\/p>\n<p>Letby was convicted of attempting to murder two babies by secretly injecting insulin into IV bags which were being used to treat them.<\/p>\n<p>During the trial, jurors were told how a blood result for Baby F pointed to insulin coming from an external source rather than being produced by the body.<\/p>\n<p>The Sun\u00a0now claims that there were a further 14 glucose readings which were \u201cnormal\u201d at the time Baby F was poisoned but that this evidence was not shown to the jury.<\/p>\n<p>Retired detective Stuart Clifton, who investigated killer nurse\u00a0Beverley Allitt, said the result should offer \u201cclear grounds for appeal\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Baby died \u2018after Letby left the unit\u2019<\/p>\n<p>A\u00a0mother has said her baby suddenly collapsed at the hospital and later died, six months after Letby was taken off the unit.<\/p>\n<p>The statistics around the unusual number of collapses and deaths at the Countess of Chester between 2015 and 2016 were a key part of the prosecution case.<\/p>\n<p>There were a total of 12 deaths from 2010-14 and then eight in 2015. Since Letby left the unit in July 2016, there has only been one.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/how-irritated-russia-more-risks-shadow-fleet-warships-4774893?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119120_836_SEI_313290067.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_label\">Exclusive<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">3 min read<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/24-british-towns-exposed-putin-4776128?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119120_0_SEI_254550148.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_label\">Big Read<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">5 min read<\/p>\n<p>Expert questions method of alleged murders<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119122_174_SEI_313509024.jpg\" alt=\"LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: Supporters of Lucy Letby gather outside the Thirwall Inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall on September 15, 2026 in Liverpool, England. The public inquiry led by Lady Justice Thirlwall into the events around neonatal nurse Lucy Letby's murders of babies at the Countess of Chester hospital in northwest England is publishing its findings on Tuesday. Letby is serving 15 whole-life orders following her convictions for the murder of seven infants and attempted murder of seven others, between June 2015 and June 2016. ( (Photo by Christopher Furlong\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-4782094\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/>Caption: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND \u2013 SEPTEMBER 15: Supporters of Lucy Letby gather outside the Thirwall Inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall on September 15, 2026 in Liverpool, England. The public inquiry led by Lady Justice Thirlwall into the events around neonatal nurse Lucy Letby\u2019s murders of babies at the Countess of Chester hospital in northwest England is publishing its findings on Tuesday. Letby is serving 15 whole-life orders following her convictions for the murder of seven infants and attempted murder of seven others, between June 2015 and June 2016. ( (Photo by Christopher Furlong\/Getty Images)<br \/>Photographer: Christopher Furlong<br \/>Provider: Getty Images<br \/>Source: Getty Images Europe<br \/>Copyright: 2026 Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>One of the methods by which Letby was said to have murdered babies was injecting them with air to cause an air embolism.<\/p>\n<p>However, vascular surgeon Dr Colin Ferguson told The Sun: \u201cThe fact that in no case was air found in the heart at post-mortem means that this is just not true.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Email \u2018undermines doctor\u2019s evidence\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Following her retrial, Letby was convicted of attempting to murder a baby by removing her breathing tube.<\/p>\n<p>Senior doctor Ravi Jayaram claimed that he walked in to find Baby K having collapsed with Letby standing over her cot doing nothing. <\/p>\n<p>However the documentary obtained a contemporaneous email written by Jayaram which said that Letby called him for help.<\/p>\n<p>The discrepancy over whether Jayaram went in because he was worried or because Letby called him for help was highlighted in the Thirlwall public inquiry into her case.<\/p>\n<p>What happens now?<\/p>\n<p>Letby remains in prison and her only avenue to clear her name is an application to the miscarriages of justice watchdog the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).<\/p>\n<p>The CCRC is currently considering her application but there is no timeline as to when it will decide whether it believes Letby\u2019s case should be referred back to the Court of Appeal or not. Only a fraction of all applications submitted are successful.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/five-claims-lucy-letby-appeal-4780810?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119122_386_SEI_313440126.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_label\">Analysis<\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">4 min read<\/p>\n<p>\t<a class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_thumbnail post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/media\/true-crime-shows-why-watch-netflix-lucy-letby-film-with-caution-4213104?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790119123_138_SEI_283410121-e1770288434910.jpg\" width=\"110\" height=\"110\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"inews--shorts-card--article_min-read\">3 min read<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/inews-theme\/assets\/images\/chevron.svg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p>As well as an overhaul of funding, the SMF said the BBC should become a John Lewis-style mutual society. Under the proposals, BBC \u201cmembers\u201d would get the opportunity to join a special council which would hold corporation bosses accountable for their decisions.<\/p>\n<p>The licence fee is becoming increasingly unsustainable, with 3.7m households claiming not to need one because they don\u2019t watch live TV. Half a million households stopped paying last year alone, <a class=\"post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/bosses-lost-plot-bbc-meltdown-licence-fees-future-4742385?srsltid=AU7gw4VHh4DU5eH_vffO8j7Lbz4TJz27xYRZah8DbXVx-ymKO2Ru-YW9&amp;ico=in-line_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">forcing the BBC to find \u00a3500m in cuts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The report, which is understood to have been discussed with advisers to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, warns that the BBC would have to axe<a class=\"post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/culture\/television\/celebrity-traitors-final-best-tv-ever-seen-4021061?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"> <\/a><a class=\"post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/culture\/television\/celebrity-traitors-final-best-tv-ever-seen-4021061?ico=in-line_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Celebrity Traitors<\/a><a class=\"post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/culture\/television\/celebrity-traitors-final-best-tv-ever-seen-4021061?ico=in-line_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"> <\/a>and Sir David Attenborough\u2019s Planet Earth if the corporation\u2019s public funding is slashed.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Home Internet Levy\u2019 fairest solution<\/p>\n<p>A \u201chome internet levy\u201d was the fairest method of funding the BBC and the one most likely to command public consent, the report, commissioned by campaign organisation 38 Degrees, found.<\/p>\n<p>This was because most households now have home internet access (95 per cent), paying an average of \u00a331 a month.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInternet in the home is increasingly the way that people receive video content, and video content drives a substantial share of internet usage,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>A BBC internet levy would cost \u00a311 per month, which is an average increase of 35 per cent on the current cost of internet bills.<\/p>\n<p>That would work out to \u00a34 a month cheaper than the current licence fee, which costs \u00a315 a month for those who pay it. Poorer households could also pay less than those signed up to high-speed broadband contracts, the report said.<\/p>\n<p>Internet providers would be compensated for the cost of collecting the charge.<\/p>\n<p>The other proposals for BBC future<\/p>\n<p>The report, compiled using policy experts, also looked at other funding solutions.<\/p>\n<p>This included keeping the licence fee, but adding a smaller \u201cnews and culture levy\u201d of \u00a32.30 onto internet bills.<\/p>\n<p>Another proposal was for a \u00a312 a month \u201chousehold levy\u201d \u2013 an <a class=\"post_in-line_link\" href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/inside-bbcs-plan-cut-licence-fee-by-36-4768115?srsltid=AU7gw4Wc2RQh0AnwFFgy9oEfUbEJVkw4zoK0v9DAOGJ9mBd7nvh6sCUD&amp;ico=in-line_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">idea favoured with the BBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But the SMF said this \u201ccould just look like expanding the licence fee to all households without concessions, irrespective of media consumption\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, putting the cost of the licence fee onto subscriptions such as Netflix and Disney would add \u00a36.25 a month to each, the report said.<\/p>\n<p>However, this would equate to a 75 per cent rise in streaming subscription charges, meaning viewers could cancel packages and the BBC would have less money than anticipated, the report concluded.<\/p>\n<p>Make BBC a \u2018mutual\u2019 society<\/p>\n<p>The SMF also proposed radical changes to make the BBC more accountable to the public by becoming a \u201cmutual-style membership\u201d organisation. The idea has previously been backed by Nandy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaking British citizens members of the BBC would help to increase people\u2019s sense of ownership over the organisation, amplify households\u2019 voices in its governance, and add to the institutional barriers shielding the BBC from government interference,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n<p>Members would be chosen by lottery to take part in a member council, where they would serve terms of up to three years and be paid for their time.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_312566994.jpg\" alt=\"LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 18: BBC??s new Director-General Matt Brittin is seen at the BBC headquarters on his first day in office, in London, UK on May 18, 2026. Former Google executive Brittin officially assumed his role as the 18th Director-General of the BBC. (Photo by Zeynep Demir\/Anadolu via Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-4769919\"\/>BBC director-general Matt Brittin would be accountable to a BBC \u2018members council\u2019 under a mutualisation plan (Photo: Zeynep Demir\/Getty)<\/p>\n<p>They would \u201chold the Board of the BBC to account, ensuring that the organisation is meeting its duties to the public\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>However, BBC members would not enjoy the same rights as John Lewis staff, who jointly own the whole business and share in its profits.<\/p>\n<p>Under the proposals, the Council would also have no control over editorial decisions, hiring talent or decisions on programming.<\/p>\n<p>Match of the Day axe fear<\/p>\n<p>An Opinium poll of 2,050 people commissioned as part of the report found viewers were most concerned that Strictly Come Dancing, The Traitors and Match of the Day could be axed if the BBC was \u201cdefunded\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Reform UK has said it would end the licence fee if elected to government.<\/p>\n<p>Veronica Hawking, Campaigns Director at 38 Degrees, said the report shows \u201chow unthinkable it would be to the British public if the BBC was allowed to be decimated, as some politicians want\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe public tell us they want an independent BBC, protected by sustainable public funding. It\u2019s vital the Government pay attention to the warnings in this report and ensure, in this year of the Charter review, that does not happen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"   height=\"429\" width=\"644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SEI_313527811.jpg\" alt=\"TX DATE:19-07-2026,TX WEEK:29,EMBARGOED UNTIL:19-07-2026 10:00:00,PEOPLE:Romesh Ranganathan,DESCRIPTION:+NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL 10:00AM SUNDAY 19TH JULY, 2026*,COPYRIGHT:BBC PUBLIC SERVICE,CREDIT LINE:BBC\" class=\"wp-image-4782870\"\/>Romesh Ranganathan asked \u2018what has the BBC ever done for me?\u2019 in an all-star video promoting the licence fee (BBC\/Justin Downing)<\/p>\n<p>The report found that up to 63 per cent of all content watched on the BBC would disappear if licence fee funding was withdrawn. Much of what\u2019s left could go behind a paywall or to another streaming service.<\/p>\n<p>The SMF estimated that 40 per cent of the BBC\u2019s \u00a3411m drama budget would go if public funding was ended, whilst the \u00a364m Arts &amp; Music budget, used to support the BBC orchestras, back new music and stage the Proms, could dwindle to just \u00a33m.<\/p>\n<p>Jamie Gollings, Deputy Research Director at the Social Market Foundation and author of the report, said this would mean \u201cthousands of jobs lost, and billions in GDP forsaken from the creative sector, a true British strength\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The licence fee could be axed and replaced by an \u00a311-a-month internet levy \u2013 and viewers invited to&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":779373,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[243,96,39793,392,14598,391,2996,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-779372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-bbc","tag-entertainment","tag-lisa-nandy","tag-netflix","tag-streaming-services","tag-tv","tag-tv-licence","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/779372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=779372"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/779372\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/779373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=779372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=779372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=779372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}