Bills struggle for over-75s facing licence changes

Many may lose ‘window on the world’

HUNDREDS OF thousands of pensioners aged over 75 could struggle to pay utility bills due to planned changes to the television licence fee system, a leading charity has warned.

Senior figures at Age UK claimed the overhaul will be a “shock to the budgets of many older people” as only low-income over-75 viewers who receive pension credits will be entitled to a free TV licence from June.

Those that will be hit the hardest are older viewers “struggling on a low fixed income as well as many who are battling loneliness, ill-health and disabilities”, according to the charity.

Caroline Abrahams, Age UK’s charity director, said: “All the evidence is that if the BBC’s plan goes ahead, hundreds of thousands of over-75s will struggle to pay for their TV licence.”

She added that the extra expense would be a “bridge too far” for many and some “whose incomes are only just above the line are set to face horrible decisions over whether they can afford to continue to watch TV at all”.

“It’s completely wrong to put the oldest people in our society through this,” she said.

Age UK said that television offers many over-75s a “precious window on the world”, a “means of staying informed and entertained” and “companionship”.

The BBC and the Government should “broker a solution” that

ensures over-75s are still given a free licence, according to Ms Abrahams.

The Conservative election manifesto said that the Tories “recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believe they should be funded by the BBC”.

However Lord Tony Hall, the outgoing director-general of the BBC, has previously argued that it is the Government who is withdrawing the benefit.

Lord Hall announced on Monday that he was stepping down from the role he has held for the past seven years. He has been at the helm of the BBC during some of its most turbulent years, as the broadcasting giant faces up to scrutiny over equal pay, diversity among its workforce and political bias.

But the last few years have also been dominated by the ongoing challenges for free TV licences for over-75s.

The BBC has said it cannot afford to take on the financial burden of the TV licences, which cost £154.50 per year, from the Government. The corporation’s bosses revealed in June that they expect the cost of the burden to be £745m, and the new rules could mean up to 3.7m pensioners in the UK would no longer receive a free licence.

More than 630,000 have previously signed an Age UK petition calling for free TV licences for older people to be saved.

Last month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he is “looking at” the possibility of abolishing the licence fee.

He added: “How long can you justify a system whereby everybody who has a TV has to pay to fund a particular set of TV and radio channels – that is the question?”

It’s completely wrong to put the oldest people in our society through this. Caroline Abrahams, Age UK’s charity director.