End of free TV licence for over-75s ‘heartless’

Veteran actress Miriam Margolyes has criticised the “cruel” and “heartless” end of the free TV licence for over-75s, and accused Boris Johnson of a “dereliction of duty” on the issue.

Her comments come just 75 days before the universal entitlement is due to be scrapped and replaced with a means-tested benefit.

Margolyes, 78, told the PA news agency that many pensioners will be faced with the possibility of having their “friend” – the TV – taken from them.

She hit out at the prime minister for not responding to a petition of 630,000 signatures, which was delivered to Number 10 Downing Street seven months ago.

The star, who is an Age UK ambassador, said: “Boris Johnson should have responded by now.

“It’s a dereliction of duty. He clearly has other things on his mind at the moment (coronavirus) and that I do understand, because the health of the country has got to come before anything.”

But she said there had been enough time to respond, and added: “The prime minister...is just not coming to the table.”

She described the government’s position as “vindictive, political hardplay,” adding: “It’s outrageous and must be fought.”

Pensioners are “going to have to choose between paying for their licence and having that bit of extra money to buy food, pay for heating and live their lives.

“It’s an intolerable and difficult choice,” she said in a video for the charity.

Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams called on the BBC and the government to come to an agreement.

A previous Conservative government handed over responsibility for free TV licences to the BBC in 2015.

Actress Miriam Margolyes is an ambassador for Age UK.