A huge development has come in a campaign to give free TV licences to all state pensioners as the Department for Culture, Media & Sport gave a full response. Calls have been increasing for retired people to get the licence for free.
Currently only the poorest people over 75 who receive pensions credit can apply for it free.
Officials say people can apply when they’re 74 if they already get Pension Credit. They still need to pay for the licence until the end of the month before your 75th birthday.
A TV Licence costs £174.50 per year. The petition on the Parliament website soared through 10,000 signatures, and is currently on 12,200 meaning government officials are obliged to make a reply – which arrived today.
The petition says: “We want the Government to fund free TV licences for existing pensioners and those who reach the official retirement age. When people reach retirement age, we think they should receive a state-financed free TV licence.
“Many pensioners live on the breadline with only the TV for company. With the cost of food soaring and utility bills ever higher, we feel there is a desperate need to provide all pensioners with at least this concession.
“We feel it is a double outrage that those who have given their all to this country in taxes and raising children have to pay a TV licence fee and are only exempt if they receive means-tested Pension Credit. Meanwhile, some media figures draw huge salaries.”
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) in a full reply said it would not be making TV licences free for OAPs ‘in this Charter’. The current Charter began on 1 January 2017 and ends on 31 December 2027.
It said: “The Government is committed to the current licence fee for the remainder of this Charter and, as such, will not be changing the available concessions at this stage. The BBC remains responsible for the over-75s concession, including the decision to provide free TV licences for over-75s in receipt of pension credit. Given the existing BBC concession, we have no plans to introduce a new Government concession for all pensioners at this time.
“However, the Government is absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. That’s why, through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million p ensioners will benefit.
« From the end of this Parliament, spending on the State Pension as a result of our commitment to protect the Triple Lock is forecast to be around £31 billion more a year, compared with 2024/25. This will see pensioners’ yearly incomes rising by up to £1,900. The basic and new State Pensions increased by 4.1% in April, benefitting over 12 million pensioners by up to £470.”
The DCMS further listed concessions including those for people who are registered blind or severely sight impaired, people over-75 and in receipt of pension credit, and people living in qualifying residential care who are disabled or over 60 years old. It added: “There are no further concessions available at this time.”
it also said people can use the Simple Payment Plan (SPP) which was recently extended and allows unlicensed households experiencing financial difficulty to split up the annual payment into more manageable fortnightly and monthly instalments. The DCMS said the BBC’s analysis suggests that the expansion could double the number of households using the SPP to around 500,000 by the end of 2027.
The DCMS also said the forthcoming Charter review would look at funding for the BBC. It added: “In taking this work forward, the Government will take into account a range of factors such as affordability and fairness when considering the future funding model of the BBC, and what obligations should continue to be placed on members of the public. In doing so the Government will consider existing concessions and whether any new concessions may be justified.”
To support the petition and read the full response click here. If it passes 100,000 signatures it could secure a parliamentary debate.
