Ministers are under pressure to cancel the increase ahead of a major review into how the BBC is funded.
A ballooning increase in license fees amid a deepening cost of living crisis will increase pressure on the government to change course, with concerns growing about the sustainability of the tax.
The BBC’s latest annual report, published over the summer, revealed that the number of people paying license fees fell by 500,000 last year to 24.4 million people.
This resulted in the broadcaster’s license fee income falling from £3.8bn to £3.74bn.
The OBR predicted that the BBC’s license fee revenues would jump to £4.1bn by the end of the decade, driven by population growth.
This represents an increase of around 30% since 2016, when licensing fees raised around £3.1bn.
Critics have also argued that the household tax is outdated as younger audiences increasingly turn to streaming competitors like Netflix and Disney, as well as social media apps including TikTok.
Ministers are expected to explore a number of alternative funding models for the BBC, including subscriptions, advertising or a broadband tax.
Any reform is likely to come into effect in 2027, when the BBC’s royal charter is up for renewal.
Joe Venter, digital campaign director at the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said a jump of nearly £15 in the tax would be a “slap in the face” to households already struggling with rising bills.
He added: “The BBC has been allowed for too long to use this archaic and unfair tax to exploit and interfere in the commercial market. Ministers must use the upcoming Royal Charter to consign the hated TV tax to history.
Tim Davie, director general of the BBC, previously defended the license fee, saying it was the “least bad option” for funding the public broadcasting service.
The company also warned that rising costs and a two-year license fee freeze would result in a £400 million loss in its finances for the remainder of the charter period, leading to program and job cuts.
A BBC spokesperson said: “The government and the BBC agreed a six-year license fee settlement in January 2022, resulting in a two-year license fee freeze with increases in line with inflation from 2024.”
“As usual, the government sets and confirms the cost of the license every year and we await confirmation of this for the 2024/25 period.
“The BBC will continue to focus on what it does best: working to deliver world-class content and provide great value to all its audiences.”
A Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) spokesperson said: “The future cost of the license fee and how it will be calculated has not been confirmed.”