20% BEEB PAY HIKE
HUNDREDS of BBC staff have been given 20% pay rises while the corporation plans to strip free TV licences from over-75s.
A massive 889 employees received salary bumps between 10% and 20% last year, just months before pensioners were told that their free telly viewing was ending.
Another 256 were given more than 20%, in a move labelled “sickening” by age campaigners.
Costing licence fee payers a massive £7.9million, the average salary bump was a staggering £6,980.
In a blow to pensioners, this would have been enough to give free TV licences to 51,000 of them.
The figures cover 19,000 staff employed by the corporation’s main public service arm and do not include any rises at its commercial wing, BBC Studios.
The amounts also do not include on-air talent such as Gary Lineker, who are paid through a separate system.
Jan
Shortt, general secretary of Pensioners labelled the “completely unacceptable.
She added: “It’s sickening that they would consider giving these rises at a time when they are claiming they don’t have the money to fund over-75s’ licences.”
The Beeb has repeatedly claimed restricting talent and staff pay would not make enough money to cover all of those aged over 75 with free licences.
A BBC spokesman said: “While there are strict rules around any pay increases, it’s only right that when people are promoted or take on extra responsibilities it’s reflected in their salary.
“Just as at any organisation, there will be a number of cases where people are promoted to a significantly more senior
or prominent role.”
WEALTH OF TALENT: Lineker the National Convention, pay increases and utterly”