‘Thousands’ to lose out if free licences are scrapped
MORE than 174,000 people in the North East could lose their free TV licences, it has been revealed.
The BBC is holding a consultation on whether to axe free TV licences for people over 75, or to cut the number of people eligible.
And research by Labour’s Tom Watson has revealed how many elderly people could be forced to pay for a licence, which currently costs £150.50-a-year.
There are 174,510 people in the North East region who currently qualify for the free licence, and would lose out if the scheme was axed entirely.
Mr Watson, Labour’s deputy leader and shadow culture secretary, said: “We should be looking out for older people, not taking away their free TV licences. The Government must step in and save free TV licences.”
He is campaigning for them to be kept, and argues they help reduce loneliness among older people.
It follows the Government’s announcement it will no longer pay for free licences for the elderly. Instead, the BBC has now been told to take responsibility for them.
But the BBC says it will lose £745 million each year if it simply carries on with the current system.
It has launched a consultation to consider potential changes.
One option is simply to end the scheme. Other ideas in the consultation include providing free licences only to people aged 80 or older.
That would mean 68,170 people in the North East who currently get a free licence would no longer qualify.
A third option under consideration is to introduce a means testing system, so free licences only go to people eligible for Pension Credit, which means they have a low income.
This would mean that 122,600 North East people lose their free licence.
Explaining why it can’t simply carry on providing free TV licences to everyone over the age of 75, the BBC said in the consultation document: “The BBC would have less money, which would mean fewer programmes and services, in effect making the BBC worse overall for everybody.”
The BBC said that without making changes, “it could be argued that each paying household would be missing out on programmes and services worth £34 of their licence fee.”
Another option being considered is to end free licences but to give a discount to people over 75, so they don’t have to pay the full amount.
The 2017 Conservative Manifesto promised to “maintain all other pensioner benefits, including free bus passes, eye tests, prescriptions and TV licences, for the duration of this Parliament”.
And Mr Watson claims the Tories are breaking their promise by handing responsibility for free licences to the BBC.
He said they were an important benefit for older people, who suffer disproportionately from loneliness and social isolation.
The Campaign to End Loneliness found that 40% of older people say their television is their main source of company.
The Christmas period is a particularly bad time for loneliness. Analysis by Age UK found that over threequarter of a million (873,000) pensioners wouldn’t have seen or heard from anyone over the festive period.
Mr Watson said: “People will not forgive the Tories if they break their election promise and allow free TV licences to be scrapped or reduced.
“Pensioner poverty is rising as is social isolation and loneliness among older people. It’s often at Christmas time that loneliness is most keenly felt.”
Questioned by Mr Watson in the House of Commons, Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said: “It is right for the BBC to consider its options.
“It is now its responsibility to decide what to do on this matter.
“It is right for it to consider its options and then propose what it wishes to do.
“We will all have the opportunity to contribute to that discussion.”