BBC set to receive below-inflation rise in licence fee

Imminent announcement likely to signal further cuts to broadcaster's staffing and programmes

The BBC will receive a below-inflation increase to the licence fee, the culture secretary, Lucy Frazer, has effectively confirmedafter Rishi Sunak said he welcomed cuts made by the corporation to its spending and services.

The 159 annual fee has been frozen for two years, and if it were to increase in line with inflation it would go up by about 15. During an interview round on Monday, Frazer said this was extremely unlikely to happen.