he TV licence fee will increase to £150.50 from £147 from 1 April, the government has announced.

The annual fee for BBC programming increased last year for the first time since 2010 after the government said it would rise in line with inflation for five years.

The latest increase comes as the corporation faces scrutiny over a gender pay gap.

The director general, Tony Hall, recently faced questions from MPs about pay imbalance after evidence from Carrie Gracie, who resigned as the BBC’s China editor over unequal pay.

Jeremy Vine and John Humphrys are among the male stars who have said they are willing to take a pay cut to help close the corporation’s gender pay gap.

A TV licence is required for anyone watching or recording TV programmes as they are shown on TV, or watching or downloading BBC programmes on iPlayer, whether they are using a TV set, computer or any other equipment.

Licence fee payers will receive a payment plan or a reminder reflecting the new amount when their licence is due for renewal.

Those buying or renewing after 1 April will pay the new fee while those already buying a licence on an instalment scheme which started before 1 April – such as monthly direct debit or weekly cash payments – will continue to make payments totalling £147 until their licence comes up for renewal.

TV Licensing, the body that collects the fee, will advise those due to renew in March to pay on time so that they pay the current rate of £147.

Those buying a new licence before 1 April will also pay the current rate.