The Government has responded to a petition calling for the BBC TV Licence fee to be scrapped for all pensioners in the UK
The Government has responded to calls for all State Pensioners in the UK to receive free TV Licences.
This comes after a campaign to scrap the £174.50 fee for everyone reaching State Pension age. An online petition, which has gained over 12,220 signatures, is urging the Government to foot the bill for the licence fee for all pensioners.
Currently, only those aged 75 and above who are receiving Pension Credit are eligible for a free licence. The ‘Fund free TV licences for all pensioners’ petition, hosted on the UK Government’s petitions-parliament website, argues that the Government should provide free licences for existing pensioners and those hitting the official retirement age.
As the petition has now surpassed the 10,000 signature threshold, the Government has issued a response. Michael Thompson, the creator of the petition advocating for free licences for all pensioners, stated: “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 and Sport published its response on September 15, reports Chronicle Live.
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The Government response in full
The Government said: “There are a number of TV licence concessions available, including for over-75s in receipt of pension credit. There is no BBC concession to provide free TV licences for all pensioners at this time.
“The BBC is a vital British asset and makes a huge contribution to lives up and down the country. It supports our democracy, brings our communities together, and helps to shape and define our nation through telling stories about the lives of people in all parts of the UK.
“TV licence concessions are available to 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. There are no further concessions available at this time.
“While the Government strongly believes in public funding for the BBC given the public good it serves, we are aware of the financial difficulties faced by some households. For this reason the Government has announced a significant extension to the Simple Payment Plan (SPP).
“This will allow unlicensed households experiencing financial difficulty to split up the annual payment into more manageable fortnightly and monthly instalments. 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 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 pensioners 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.
“Looking further ahead, the Secretary of State has been clear that the BBC must be funded by a model that is sustainable and fair to all those that are paying it.
“The forthcoming Charter Review is a key opportunity to set the BBC up for success long into the future. It will consider a range of options for funding the BBC, including how they can support the BBC in a way that is sustainable and fair. We are thinking creatively about options for the future, to ensure we future-proof our national broadcaster for many years to come.
“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.
“As we progress Charter Review we will work closely with the BBC, and engage with other broadcasters, stakeholders across the creative industries as well as the British public to inform our thinking. This will include the opportunity for stakeholders and audiences across the country to respond to the Charter Review public consultation before the new charter comes into effect in 2028.”
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