Vital to save free TV for the elderly
■ After my mother died 20 years ago, I found an unsent letter among her things telling the Government of the day why it was so important to give the elderly free TV licences. She lived alone and was generally housebound – so the TV was her lifeline.
Unfortunately, she died before Gordon Brown introduced the free licence for the over-75s.
Twenty years on, we are back to square one and that letter is as relevant today as it was then. She would be appalled that this Tory Government has seen fit end the scheme. Wenda Howes, Paignton, Devon
■ The Tories taking away the free licences is low, even for them. The TV is sometimes the only company some elderly people have.
And some, thanks to the Tories, can’t afford to heat their homes. So they go to bed to keep warm and watch TV there.
But soon they may not even be able to do that.
The Tories have taken so much from ordinary people and given nothing but grief.
Sheila Fox, Crawley, West Sussex
■ Once again the Tories have reneged on a manifesto pledge and will stop funding the free TV licence for the over-75s in 2020. These same selfserving ministers enjoy their millionaire lifestyles with second homes subsidised by taxpayers, including pensioners who have paid for their TV licence over a lifetime. Surely, they have earned the right to financial help at the point in their lives when a TV is often their only companion? This will rebound on the Tories at the next election.
Neil Atherton, St Helens, Merseyside
■ The blame for any loss of the over75s free licence rests squarely on the shoulders of this Tory administration. What a great ploy by them to promise to keep it then pass the financial burden onto the BBC, making sure it is a cut in the corporation’s budget.
They can now say ‘we didn’t cut the licence, the BBC did’.
Typical Tory policy to blame someone else for their failure. Brian Wood, Nuneaton, Warwicks
■ I wholeheartedly agree the over75’s should not pay for a TV licence. In fact, no one in this digital age should.
This is not the 1970s when the BBC had two of only three channels – there are now hundreds, many of which are free to air. Also, there are numerous subscription channels such as Sky, Netflix and so on.
The TV licence is a massive burden, not only on pensioners but on people in low pay as it represents a disproportionate tax.
The BBC must be prepared to stand on its own two feet.
Chris Scott, Hull
■ Well done to Len Goodman for championing the cause to save the free TV licence for the over-75s (Mirror, Feb 8).
Now compare this to Tory Party chairman Brandon Lewis defending a £70,000 ‘donation’ rich people had to pay to rub shoulders with cabinet ministers at the party’s lavish Black and White Ball.
“It’s less tax than you would pay under Corbyn,” he said.
That underlines how mean these Tories really are.
Tony Pitcher, Jarrow, Tyne & Wear