Pensioners Threaten Campaign of Direct Action Against Cruel TV Licence Reforms

Pensioners have vowed to paralyse TV Licensing in protest at the BBC's decision to strip them of their concessionary TV licences.

Under the new rules around 3.7 million households that currently receive a "free" over-75 TV licence will have to pay the full licence fee if they wish to continue viewing TV programmes (or BBC on-demand programmes via the iPlayer). A limited concession will still be available to those households with at least one over-75 occupant in receipt of Pension Credit.

The BBC has just confirmed that the changes will come into effect on 1st August 2020, despite widespread public and political opposition.

Dennis Reed, Director of the Silver Voices campaign group, has tonight confirmed that direct action against TV Licensing will start within a few weeks.

The campaign will encourage over-60s to act in support of the over-75s by:

• Cancelling any TV licence payment made by Direct Debit and electing to pay by cheque instead;
• Only communicating with TV Licensing by post, instead of using electronic means.

The group hopes this action will snarl up TV Licensing's administrative operation, thereby reducing the organisation's capacity to process TV licence payments. It hopes the additional costs and inconvenience incurred by TV Licensing will make the BBC realise that it is cheaper to maintain the universal over-75 TV licence concession.

Mr Reed said: "Silver Voices is calling for all over-60s to take action to support the over-75s.

"From 1st August all over 60s in the UK will be asked to withdraw from Direct Debits and standing orders and advise TV Licensing that they will only settle their licence fees by cheque/cash and post in future.

"Guidelines will also be issued on 'creative but legal' ways to complicate payments further.

"The intention will be to increase the costs of collection and enforcement to such a level that the Government and BBC will be forced to rethink this cruel policy."

The BBC has previously confirmed that a special outreach team - managed by TV Licensing operations contractor Capita - will target pensioners claiming to be eligible for the new version of the over-75 TV licence.

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