Oh dear, oh dear. The BBC is attracting yet more criticism - as if that were humanly possible - on the thorny topic of the over-75 TV licence.
Earlier this month the BBC announced that it had not enforced the new rules, which were introduced on 1st August 2020, on any of the 750,000 over-75 households now eligible to pay the TV licence fee that haven't yet done so.
It also confirmed that every "free" over-75 TV licence issued under the former concessionary scheme remained valid. Although it didn't quite use the word "amnesty" there is no suggestion that the BBC plans on rushing out and criminalising millions of pensioners just yet.
So as not to lose face, the BBC says it is "giving people plenty of time to pay" and when they eventually do, their licence will be backdated to 1st August when the new scheme kicked in. In the long run everyone will end up paying the same, so the BBC claims.
At first glance the BBC's lack of enforcement looks absolutely brilliant news, but as we observed at the time "we can imagine all those over-75s who did cough up for a TV licence now feeling slightly aggrieved."
Well, what do you know - it turns out they are.
Older people's campaign group Silver Voices has been baying for the BBC's blood ever since it shafted over-75's by reneging on its promise to retain the universal "free" over-75 TV licence.
Dennis Reid, director of the organisation, said that last October he floated the idea of a TV licence amnesty with BBC Director General Tim Davie.
Mr Reed said: "If the proposal had not been rejected out of hand then, the BBC would not be facing this barrage of criticism.
"The BBC has been forced to introduce the amnesty because of the very large numbers refusing to pay and growing concern about the level of harassment taking place.
"But those who were forced to fork out the equivalent of one week's state pension to pay the fee, perhaps cutting down on food and fuel to do so, are rightly cross at this turn of events.
"The BBC will find it increasingly difficult to ensure that payment schedules are adhered to and the corporation may find that licence renewals due in August will fall off the cliff unless a solution is found."
A TV Licensing spokeswoman said: "We have given everyone plenty of time to get set up. Over 1.8 million people have chosen to pay in one go, with others on payment plans to spread the cost, or a free licence paid for by the BBC.
"There is no difference between those who have paid compared to those who are yet to set up."
The annual cost of a TV licence rises to £159 on 1st April 2021.
4 comments:
I'm at a loss as to what over 75s normally get for free in the UK, if anything. Is there any chance of adding something like that to this entry for clarification?
Not sure what you mean Chris.
Sorry about that. I had something in mind, but lost the plot half way through typing the message. :.( I'll see if I can figure it out as I go along.
It made sense that they were being offered a free licence fee, since they had paid in to the system for many years and that since they are no longer earning a living wage, but instead, living on a pension, they might not have the money to really afford the licence fee. Because of that, older people usually get other things for free, so paying for a TV licence seems a little unfair. So, what things are there that they get for free and how is it considered fair that they have to pay for something that they should be getting for free? That is basically what I was thinking of.
They get free bus travel and prescriptions when they hit statutory retirement age.
As for the concessionary TV licence, I think it is grossly unfair taking away something they had been getting for free.
Whether they should ever have received a concessionary TV licence in the first place is a different question. It is something the Government of Gordon Brown introduced, possibly to win over elderly voters at the time and without thinking about the long-term future of the scheme.
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