BBC will scrap free TV licence for most over 75s from August 1 meaning more than three million households will have to start paying £157.50 fee
- Controversial plans to end free licences for all aged over 75 given the green light
- Only those who receive the Pension Credit benefit won’t have to pay the fee
- BBC hoped to make the change on June 1 and the delay has cost £35m a month
The free TV licence for over-75s will be means-tested from August 1, the BBC has said.
More than three million households will be asked to start paying the £157.50 fee from next month after controversial plans to end free licences for all pensioners over the age threshold were given the green light.
Households which don’t have to pay for the right to watch live television and access the BBC’s iPlayer service must include someone who receives the Pension Credit benefit.
The free TV licence for over-75s will be means-tested from August 1, meaning more than three million households will be asked to start paying the £157.50 fee
The proposals sparked outrage when they were announced last year, with more than 630,000 people signing a petition set up by the charity Age UK, calling for action to be taken
This is claimed by around 1.6 million people, according to the latest government figures.
The change was originally due to be made on June 1, and delaying the move has cost the corporation some £35million a month.
With an ageing population, the total cost to the BBC could have reached £1bn a year, bosses said.
There have previously been warnings that allowing the licence to continue being free for all over 75 would lead to ‘unprecedented closures’ of services.
The proposals sparked outrage when they were announced last year, with more than 630,000 people signing a petition set up by the charity Age UK, calling for action to be taken.
The government has provided free TV licences for the over-75s since 2000, but responsibility for the provision now rests with the BBC.
Before the announcement was made, Labour’s shadow culture minister Christian Matheson told the Commons this morning that the proposals meant many pensioners could be ‘forced to choose between eating and watching TV’.
He added: ‘The BBC is cutting jobs and content to pay for the cost of the licence dumped on them by the government.’
Culture minister Matt Warman replied: ‘The fact is that the BBC has had a generous licence fee settlement and it is deeply disappointing that they have chosen to go down the path that they apparently are going down.
The government has provided free TV licences for the over-75s since 2000, but responsibility for the provision now rests with the BBC.
‘I would hope that there is time to reconsider that because [Mr Matheson] is right to say that television has been a vital comfort for many people in the last few months and it’s a vital part of our national economy as well.’
The corporation put the changes on hold in March, claiming the coronavirus pandemic had created ‘exceptional circumstances’ and ‘now is not the right time’.
The crisis means it needs to make savings of £125m this year, including the cost of delaying the over-75s changes.
The BBC has now said there will be a ‘Covid-safe’ payment system, meaning people can apply online, and there will be dedicated support staff to help.