BBC is ‘preparing’ to scrap free TV licences for over-75s in August, says outgoing director Lord Hall as he calls for ‘big debate’ over broadcaster’s funding
- Director General confirmed today that preparations are now underway
- Comes after the BBC delayed the scrapping amid the coronavirus crisis
- People on pension credit will continue to receive a free TV licence
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
The BBC is ‘preparing’ to scrap free TV licences for over-75s in August, says Lord Hall.
A ‘big debate’ is needed about the future of funding the BBC after the coronavirus crisis proved it can bring the nation together, its outgoing director general said.
Speaking on BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show, Lord Tony Hall said the broadcaster had been able to bring the country together and cited the work of its local radio stations as an example.
He said: ‘I think what the Covid crisis has proved is that people in their droves – 94% of the population of the UK – have turned to the BBC for either information, education or entertainment during this crisis.
BBC Broadcasting House in London is pictured in January. The BBC says it is now preparing to scrap the licence fee
‘So the question is, and by the way it’s not a question that needs to be answered until 2027 when the charter comes to an end, the question is what’s the best way of funding that universally so that everybody, this great democratic idea, gets something we can all share.’
He added: ‘I hope that there will be a big debate about the best way of funding the BBC.
‘I hope even when I’ve left I can take part in that debate and we should look at the easiest way to pay, learn from what happens in other countries, are there fairer ways to pay, but the underpinning for all that is the idea of a BBC which is providing something for everyone.’
In March the broadcaster delayed the scrapping of free TV licences for over-75s by two months to help the elderly deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
Only those on pension credit were set to continue to receive free TV licences from June 1 after the corporation took on responsibility for funding the benefit.
The BBC pushed it back to August 1, because ‘during this time we do not want anyone to be worried about any potential change’.
Today Director-General Lord Hall confirmed that preparations are now underway to carry out the scrapping.
From August 1, 2020, around 3.7 million households which previously received a free licence will have to pay for one.
BBC director-general Tony Hall (pictured) has revealed that preparations are now underway for the scrapping of the free licence fee
At the moment all over-75s receive a free TV licence but from August, only those households with a member who receives pension credit will be eligible.
Those found to be ineligible for a free licence will have to pay £157.50 a year for a colour television and £52 a year for a black and white television.
The Government-funded scheme to provide all households with people over 75 with a free TV licence comes to an end this year because Number 10 legislated that it is the BBC’s responsibility to decide on any future scheme and to pay for it.
Following a public consultation, the BBC decided that means-testing pensioners and giving free licences only to those on pension credit is the fairest way.
The BBC said if it had to fund licences for all over-75s, it would have meant unprecedented closures, including the end of BBC Two, BBC Four, the BBC News Channel, the BBC Scotland channel, Radio 5 Live, and a number of local radio stations, as well as other cuts and reductions.