Wealthier households should have to pay more for the BBC, Richard Sharp has suggested in his first interview since standing down as chairman of the broadcaster.

Mr Sharp said the licence fee could be replaced by a tax on broadband bills or a household levy based on the value of the property as the current system of a flat fee is “regressive”.

The Government is currently considering whether to replace the £159-a-year licence fee, which funds the work of the BBC, with a different funding model after 2027.

The cost of a TV licence is due to begin rising with inflation next year after a two-year freeze comes to an end.

Speaking to the final edition of The Telegraph’s Chopper’s Politics podcast on Friday, Mr Sharp said he worried the licence fee was regressive because those on lower incomes paid the same as wealthier households.

“I would be in favour of a form of a mandatory payment – currently the licence fee. There is one issue which is it’s regressive, which may need to be addressed,” he said. Households on lower incomes “paid the same price” for their public service broadcasting.

He added: “You can look at models around the world, there’s a broadband tax, there’s a household tax and there’s the licence fee. Change is disruptive from moving from one mechanism that works to another.”