Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CAMPAIGNERS SET UP A BBC LICENCE PLEA
Over-75s hope to ‘thrash out’ solution with boss
BBC boss Tim Davie has set a date to meet a campaign group battling to restore free TV licences for the over-75s.
The director-general will meet Silver Voices chief Dennis Reed via a videocall on October 13.
Mr Reed will press him to thrash out a solution with ministers – saving all over-75s the £157.50 annual fee.
He said: “I will be suggesting possible short-term options to the director-general and will expect a constructive response.
“Although the director-general has stated that he has no plans to ‘reverse’ the policy of his predecessor, this leaves a big canvas of options for settling the dispute with the BBC.
“We also want immediate action to support the hundreds of thousands of older people severely impacted by this cruel policy.”
Silver Voices blames the Conservatives, who broke a manifesto pledge to protect free licences until 2022.
They promised at the 2017 election to protect over-75s’ free licences for the rest of that Parliament, which was due to run for five years.
But the BBC had already been handed funding responsibility from June 2020, under a deal agreed in 2015. It said keeping licences free for all over -75s would cost £745million by 2021-22.
The corporation announced restrictions from Au gust 1, meaning only over-75s who receive Pension Credit are eligible.
An estimated 3.7 million people have been robbed of the benefit. The Mirror has fought to save the lifeline, with 18,000 readers backing the fight by com completing coupons in the pap paper. Mr Reed said he was optimistic – but warned if he meets “a negative n solid wall” in M Mr Davie, he could recommend recom hi his members stop paying the licence licen fee. A BBC spokesman spokesm said last week: “It was the Government who decided to stop funding free TV licences for the over75s. The BBC Board believes the fairest option is to help the poorest older pensioners.
“Around 1.5 million households could get free licences if someone is over 75 and receives Pension Credit.
“Critically, it is not the BBC making that judgement about poverty, it is the Government who set and control who is eligible for Pension Credit and what level of payments are made.”