YP Comment

With people over 75 – apart from those who claim pension credit – due to lose their right to a free TV licence from June this year, concerns have been growing about the prospect of elderly people in their 80s or 90s being taken to court for non-payment of the licence fee.
By Why BBC should U-turn on scrapping free licence fees for over-75s - The Yorkshire Post says
Published 13th Mar 2020, 11:45 BST
BBC Director-General Lord Tony Hall addresses delegates at the annual Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference in central London, on November 4, 2013. Picture: AFP PHOTO / LEON NEALBBC Director-General Lord Tony Hall addresses delegates at the annual Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference in central London, on November 4, 2013. Picture: AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL
BBC Director-General Lord Tony Hall addresses delegates at the annual Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference in central London, on November 4, 2013. Picture: AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL

BBC bosses told MPs yesterday that such a move would be “highly unlikely”, with a specialist team being set up to ensure enforcement action can be avoided if possible.

While this appears laudable, it does give rise to a situation where younger people who have been taken to court for the same matter may soon be questioning why they were not offered the same treatment.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To avoid such a tangled situation – especially in the context of the Government mooting the end of the licence fee and moving the BBC to a subscription model – it may actually be in the long-term interests of the corporation to reverse its decision to scrap free licences for the over-75s.

At a time when the BBC is facing competition like never before through the rise of services like Netflix, recognising the older viewers and listeners who have been by the side of the corporation throughout their lives with such a move would be a priceless gesture.

Related topics:TV licenceBBCGovernmentMPsNetflix