3.7M OAPS LOSE FREE TV LICENCES
Outrage at Tory ‘liars’ and BBC after cruel decision to means test all over-75s
CAMPAIGNERS last night told of their fury at the Tories after the BBC said it will means test TV licences for over-75s.
The cruel move leaves 3.7 million pensioners facing an annual £154.50 bill from next year. Only those on pension credits will be exempt.
And it breaks a Tory 2017 pledge not to scrap free licences. TV star Ricky Tomlinson said: “It’s disgraceful, absolutely despicable.”
THE cruel decision to axe free TV licences for the over-75s will strip thousands of vulnerable, disabled and lonely pensioners of a lifeline, campaigners warned last night.
And critics attacked the Tories for breaking their 2017 election pledge not to make the elderly pay but then passing responsibility for annual £745million costs of the benefit to the BBC.
The Beeb has announced it will means test the licences from next June, with around 1.5 million people who claim pensions credit being exempt from the charges. But that leaves 3.7 million facing a choice of forking out £154.50 a year or giving up their viewing.
Among them could be many of the D-Day veterans the Tories were praising just last week for their heroism.
Royle Family star Ricky Tomlinson, who has supported the Mirror’s campaign to save the free TV licences for the over-75s, led the outrage. Calling
for national demonstrations against the decision, he said: “The Tories want bloody horsewhipping for doing this and if there’s a march I’d join the front of it.
“It’s disgraceful, absolutely despicable, when they’re taking a little bit of comfort from people who worked hard all their lives and deserve to be looked after.
“Television’s so important to them, a friend and a way of keeping in touch.”
More than 128,000 people signed Age UK’s Switched Off petition to keep the free licences. And its charity director Caroline Abrahams warned the new BBC system is flawed as around 40% of those eligible for pension credits did not claim them through pride or because the system was too complicated.
She said: “Make no mistake, if this scheme goes ahead we are going to see sick and disabled people in their 80s and 90s who are completely dependent on their TV for
companionship and news, forced to give it up. “The BBC’s decision will cause those affected enormous anxiety and distress, and some anger.” Labour leader
Jeremy Corbyn added: “Pensioners are being failed by the Conservatives. Their 2017 manifesto promised to keep TV licences free for the over-75s. They must not go back on their word now.” His deputy branded the decision to axe the licences “an outrage”.
Baroness Jane BonhamCarter of the Lib Dems said: “Concessions for over-75s are a social cost which should be paid for by the Government.
“Government, not the BBC, should be responsible for their social policies.”
The SNP’s Hannah Bardell added: “This is daylight robbery of pensioners. Predicating the free TV licence on pension credit which has already been cut is a cynical act of betrayal.” BBC director general Tony Hall insisted the means testing was “fair” and the BBC has insisted if it had to fund the benefit it would lead to closures of a string of services including BBC Two and BBC Four. But The National Pensioners Convention general secretary Jan Shortt said: “Pensioner poverty is now increasing, loneliness is reaching crisis levels among older people and the BBC has the barefaced cheek to call this fair. It’s an absolute disgrace.” Thomas Pevitt, 77, and his wife, 78, who is registered blind will now have to pay for their TV licence. Retired joiner Thomas said: “The working classes have been hit by this Government left, right and centre. Austerity does not hurt the rich.” Labour PM Gordon Brown introduced the free licence fees in 2001. The Tory 2017 manifesto pledged to keep them for the length of this Parliament, until 2022.
But in 2015 Chancellor George Osborne made the BBC responsible for the benefit from June 2020, two years early.
Downing Street yesterday refused to apologise or accept any responsibility for the free TV licences being axed, despite its cynical bid to wash their hands of the costs. Theresa May even urged the BBC to review its move. Her spokesman said: “We are very disappointed with this decision.
“We have been clear that we expected the BBC to continue this concession. We want the BBC to look again at ways of supporting older people. In 2017/18, it received over £3.8billion in licence fee income and we have guaranteed the licence fee will increase with inflation until 2022.”
Funding free licences for the 1.5million poorer households will cost the BBC up to £250million.
Chairman Sir David Clemanti has argued the Government was far better placed to fund them.
LAST week, the Tories rightly hailed Britain’s veterans on the anniversary of the D-Day landings. But yesterday they robbed those same heroes, and many other elderly people, of a basic comfort.
First, cash-grabbing Conservatives passed the buck for free TV licences to the BBC – despite their 2017 manifesto pledge. And now the under-pressure corporation is withdrawing the benefit for all but the poorest pensioners.
This mean-spirited assault on the elderly makes the Government’s commendation of veterans just days earlier seem disingenuous. This is a generation that fought and died for our freedom, but the Tories are denying them just £154.50 a year to fund what for many is a vital source of companionship.
What will be taken away next – bus passes, winter fuel allowances or the state pension itself ? This is an act of political cowardice for which the Tories will pay dearly at the polls.