Almost two-thirds of British people say “nothing” could persuade them to pay for news, according to new research.

A study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has found 65pc of people in the UK would never be willing to buy news-related subscriptions – even if it was cheaper and better value, and had more relevant content or fewer advertisements.

The findings also reveal further concerns by the Institute, which is based at the University of Oxford, that digital subscription growth in many countries is now reaching a “plateau” due to factors including the cost-of-living crisis.

The report has also confirmed previous findings that just 9pc of UK people currently take out digital subscriptions, the joint lowest proportion of any of the 20 countries studied.

Report co-author Nic Newman, pictured, said: “This research shows how price-conscious many consumers have become amid the squeeze on household spending and how new approaches will be needed to attract reluctant subscribers.

“Lower price products, all-access subscriptions, differential pricing, and digital wallets are all in the mix as the industry tries to better match price to the perceived value of different news consumers.”

The researchers have urged publishers to experiment with “all access bundles that combine multiple titles, podcasts, and other benefits” as a possible way of solving the problem.

The report concludes: “If publishers could find a way to charge on the basis of perceived value, many more people could become subscribers over time. Publishers recognise this affordability gap and are developing responses.

“In Germany, many brands are offering lower-price subscriptions for students or younger people, while the Guardian’s contribution model in the UK allows people to pay what they can afford.

“In the US, publishers are offering longer introductory trials in the hope of proving value and considering differential pricing as a way of varying the price at renewal.

“But even if the ‘price puzzle’ can be solved, there is a more fundamental challenge. Some people who are interested in news do not want to be tied to or ‘limited’ by one source, and most of them are not prepared to pay for multiple news subscriptions.

“Our research shows that both existing and potential subscribers are drawn to the idea of all access bundles that combine multiple titles, podcasts, and other benefits.

“This helps to solve the value problem and, as the New York Times has shown, dramatically reduces the rates of churn. Once again, the stumbling block is price, with people prepared to pay a little more for their news but possibly not as much as publishers would like.

“The decline in referrals from Facebook and Twitter (now X) and uncertainty over search traffic in the era of AI-powered chatbots have increased the urgency of making paid online news work.

“This research has highlighted the barriers that need to be overcome, as well as the many opportunities that exist to reach new subscribers. If the price is right and the value can be clearly shown, the future of journalism can still be bright.”