Petition · Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Ring-fence BBC Licence Fee Funds to protect them from foreign Lawsuits
Closed
50 signatures
What the petition asks
We call on Parliament to introduce legislation that protects the mandatory BBC licence fee revenue from being used to pay settlements or damages in non-UK-based civil lawsuits, thereby ring-fencing public funds for public service broadcasting.
The BBC licence fee is a mandatory fee and essential for public broadcasting. Payouts from high-value, foreign lawsuits could divert funds from core services. We believe this exposes the BBC to high-cost legal threats from wealthy, foreign-based entities, risking the depletion of public resource, and could undermine the UK's essential freedom of the press and the BBC's editorial independence. We request Parliament legislate a clear financial firewall.
Timeline
| 16 Dec 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 16 Jun 2026 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
50
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Opened
16 Dec 2025
Closed
16 Jun 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 19 Aug 2026.