LICENCE FEE REBELS:
OVER-75s will not be threatened with legal action for refusing to pay the TV licence fee, the BBC’s DirectorGeneral has signalled.
Former England cricket captain Lord Botham, backed by more than 20 fellow peers, had urged BBC boss Tim Davie to ensure TV Licensing made an “explicit pledge” they would never prosecute anyone aged over 75.
Older people’s right to free viewing ended last year, except for those receiving pension credit.
In an email response, Mr Davie said: “We are not sending any enforcement letters to older people who previously held a free licence. There are no visits taking place in relation to over-75 licences at this time.
“When free TV licences were introduced by the Labour government in 2000, we understand according to the Ministry of Justice that no one over 75 was prosecuted between 1992-1999.
“We have been very clear that we are giving people time to transition, which has been extended further because of Covid. We are continuing with that policy.”
Mr Davie added: “We have now transitioned 3.6 million households. The majority have paid in one go and over 770,000 have applied for free TV licences. We have taken over one million calls.”
Lord Botham, 65, a prominent Brexit supporter who became a peer last year, welcomed the news, saying: “It would be plain wrong for
Tim Davie to break this practice and start prosecutions of our oldest pensioners. I have countless complaints from pensioners in their 90s who find the BBC’s letters threatening.
“For the BBC to start doorstep visits from enforcement officers and then criminal prosecutions would be unacceptable.
“It’s also clear that people of this age cannot be expected to cope with the bureaucracy of means testing. The BBC and the Government need to sort this out.” The BBC agreed that it would take over responsibility for funding TV licences for the over-75s as part of the charter agreement with the Government in 2015. But the corporation has since said it cannot afford to continue the universal benefit.
Mr Davie has previously said not implementing the policy would have cost the corporation £700million.
The move to end free TV licences for the over-75s sparked anger and was criticised by some, including the Age UK charity.
In July, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said he felt “let down” by the broadcaster’s decision.
In January it was announced the Government was not going ahead with plans to decriminalise nonpayment of the licence fee.
A BBC spokesman said: “Our position on enforcement has not changed – we are not visiting households that previously held a free licence. We’re giving older people plenty of time to get set up.”