Over 75s now pay for TV license

[snips86x]

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-48583487

Up to 3.7 million pensioners who previously received a free TV licence will now have to pay for it.

The BBC will scrap blanket free licences for over-75s, but housesholds with one person who receives Pension Credit will still be eligible.

The BBC said "fairness" was at the heart of the ruling, which comes into force in June 2020.

It follows a consultation with 190,000 people, of which 52% were in favour of reforming or abolishing free licences.

Is this is a sign that the BBC are indeed money grabbing or have their revenues in recent years been dropping as people opt for web streaming solutions instead?

 

[cu3ed]

Bye bye live broadcasting from my dads house then.

 

[Hades]

I'd prefer them to scrap the BBC. I rarely watch it apart from the news. The same is true of my over-75 year old mum.

 

[snips86x]

I'd prefer them to scrap the BBC. I rarely watch it apart from the news. The same is true of my over-75 year old mum.

I actually don't pay for a license and therefor do not watch. I mostly watch Netflix or just download. Back in the 90s-2000s when TV was the only way to watch films/series etc, I could see how it had its place. Now, with the development of super fast broadband and subscription services, It's obselete. So yes, I totally agree with you.

 

[VincentHanna]

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-48583487
Is this is a sign that the BBC are indeed money grabbing or have their revenues in recent years been dropping as people opt for web streaming solutions instead?

Opinion from spectator before it was decided: https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/...-for-scrapping-free-tv-licences-for-over-75s/

The BBC is grappling with a dilemma forced upon it by George Osborne when he was chancellor. From 2020 the Corporation will be forced to fund the full £745 million cost of providing a free TV licence to households where one resident is over 75.

One of the most significant achievements of the Blair government was its success in tackling pensioner poverty. When Labour took office in 1997 there were more than two and a half million pensioners living in abject poverty. By 2004, the Institute for Fiscal Studies was reporting that for the first time in recorded history, being old was no longer associated with being poor.

This transformation was largely due to the introduction of Pension Credit, which brings pensioner income up to an adequate level. This was supplemented by the winter fuel allowance, free eye tests and the free TV licence. But what was necessary 20 years ago may be questionable today. And not having the guts to take a decision on this aspect itself, the government transferred it to Auntie. The BBC is consulting on three options to make this concession affordable. The most rational is to confine it to those on Pension Credit, which would almost halve the cost while ensuring help remained for those in need. This decision should be taken by the Corporation, but the flak should be taken by the government that dreamt up this cynical ruse.

 

[CircleFaust]

absolute money grabbing scum
when you're 75 you've paid your dues surely

 

[Azza]

How will they pay?

Most if not all couldn't do it online themselves, getting to the post office with mobility issues etc, doing it over the phone perhaps?

 

[snips86x]

Opinion from spectator before it was decided: https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/...-for-scrapping-free-tv-licences-for-over-75s/

You do provide a very valid point, but this line sums up it's current posistion perfectly

But what was necessary 20 years ago may be questionable today

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Is this is a sign that the BBC are indeed money grabbing or have their revenues in recent years been dropping as people opt for web streaming solutions instead?

i think it's due to people not paying. now they want to target an easy market the OAP's.

OAP's are already being targeted by scammers. now imagine the new scam callers pretending to be from TVL. You need a license now. I can take your bank details or you can transfer to me now on phone, etc.

They need to scrap the TV license because the number of ****** out there who think they are the new bad ass chuck norris for not paying £10 a month and think people who do are mugs.

Then they can either do adverts or get the money from the government. the government can just add it into council tax.

 

[Raymond Lin]

I don’t think the BBC is so much as money grabbing but more of they need every penny they can get at the age of digital media where a lot of people are more and more tech savvy and getting round it.

It won’t be long before the IPlayer becomes a subscription model or you need a TV licence number in order to access.

But charging the over 75 for TV licence is a bit cruel, you have worked all your life and can't even sit at home to enjoy crappy TV anymore.

 

[VincentHanna]

Then they can either do adverts or get the money from the government. the government can just add it into council tax.

Not sure you understand what Council Tax is for.....the Government don't get any money from it.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

well when you hit 75 you can always just pretend your pretty much blind to your GP and he will then put it on your record and then you can get the discounted blind persons license.

 

[StriderX]

Thank ****.

 

[BowdonUK]

It's obviously a poliical decision because what about other vulnerable groups, like disabled people who are unable to work. They are on a fixed income too. But 'sadly' they often vote Labour, so no votes in it for the Tories.

Why do companies in general keep raising the amount they charge every year? We aren't getting a better service and it's gradually making it unaffordable and unreasonably expensive.

 

[StriderX]

It's obviously a poliical decision because what about other vulnerable groups, like disabled people who are unable to work. They are on a fixed income too. But 'sadly' they often vote Labour, so no votes in it for the Tories.

Why do companies in general keep raising the amount they charge every year? We aren't getting a better service and it's gradually making it unaffordable and unreasonably expensive.

How is this a political decision?



Doesnt seem like it would be a smart idea for the tories.

 

[XeNoN89]

I don't pay TV license either. Netflix, Amazon & downloads.

 

[wolfie138]

I watch nowt on terrestrial, but I have to pay just cos I have equipment that can receive a broadcast, that's the bit that annoys me.

 

[Werewolf]

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-48583487



Is this is a sign that the BBC are indeed money grabbing or have their revenues in recent years been dropping as people opt for web streaming solutions instead?

It's a sign that the government used the TVL to pay for a social policy that should have been done via the DWP, and that the government has been making the BBC pay for more of it's policies whilst cutting it's funding (TVL freezes and increases at below inflation).

Basically the free TVL's were due to start costing the BBC something like 20-25% of it's funding from the government as the government was moving the cost of the free TVL's over to the BBC.
They're still going to have free TVL's but you now have to be in receipt of Pension Credit to qualify for it, as opposed to everyone from the poorest pensioners to billionaires getting it free.

 

[BowdonUK]

How is this a political decision?

Ok it seems the story is the opposite to the headline I saw. The tweet headline from the BBC makes it sound like they are scrapping the tv license for over 75's. But the story I see is actually reducing the amount of over 75's getting a free license.

Talk about headline misdirection. I'll find the tweet headline that is saying opposite to the story.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1138073964406874112

 

[Hagar]

It is fair in my opinion, speaking as someone it will affect in eight years if I am still here .