BBC targeted by protesters over plan to end free TV licenses!

Ricky Tomlinson says Government should fund free TV licenses

THE next likely Conservative Prime Minister, Boris Johnson says he wants to cut taxes for the rich by £10bn pounds. The Tories therefore have their eye on cutting free bus passes for the elderly, winter fuel allowances and free TV licenses for the over 75s, in order to pay for tax cuts for the rich. Despite promising to guarantee free TV licenses for the over 75s until the next General Election in May 2022, they have reneged on this saying it was a cut and paste error in the Manifesto and have given the BBC the responsibility for providing free TV licenses. The BBC have said they will only provided free TV licenses for certain groups such as the over 75s in receipt of pension credit. 

"The National Pensioners Convention (NPC) is calling on local pensioner groups, trade unions, community groups, students, members of the public, MPs and councillors to make a stand on Friday 21 June against:

1. The BBC’s decision to means-test the TV licence for older people

2. The Government’s decision to make the BBC pay for the concession

We are therefore asking campaigners to gather outside their local BBC at 12 noon next Friday to take part in a protest during the lunchtime. Attached you will find a simple black and white A4 poster which we are asking people to print out at home and stick to a piece of cardboard – so that you can take it along to the demo. Local banners and placards are of course also welcome, along with whistles, drums and other instruments.

The NPC is absolutely clear – if we fail to protect this concession, the government will begin looking at the winter fuel allowance and the bus pass. That’s why we need as big a demonstration as possible out on the street next Friday.

If you are intending to organise a demonstration, please let us have the details via info@npcuk.org. Thanks for your support."

Neil Duncan-Jordan

National Officer

NPC

Over 75s to lose their free TV licenses!

Lord Hall - BBC won't guarantee free TV licenses for over-75s

In his budget yesterday, the Chancellor announced the end of austerity. Yet there are billions of spending cuts already in the pipeline which were introduced by his predecessor, George Osborne. One of the cuts could see the over-75s, losing their free TV licenses.

Many older people may not realise that the BBC is preparing to scrap or restrict free television licences for people aged above 75 after publishing a study showing that pensioners are becoming richer. The BBC was forced to take on the free license scheme by the Tory government as part of its most recent funding deal.

More than 4.46 million homes with older residents receive a free television licence, saving them £150.50 a year.  The benefit was introduced in 2001 and costs £725 million, around one-fifth of the BBC's total budget.  Lord Tony Hall (£500,000 a-year) BBC boss, has said the BBC will not guarantee free TV licenses for the over-75s. The corporation is expected to put forward research in a matter of weeks on ways to reform the subsidy, with a view to introducing a new system by 2020.

Options are likely to include raising the age of eligibility, introducing means-testing to exclude wealthier pensioners, or removing the benefit from people above 75 who live with younger relatives.

The maximum fine for watching TV without a valid license is £1000 plus a criminal record. You can also be sent to prison. In 2012/13, 180,000 people were prosecuted for not paying the license fee which many would like to see scrapped. The BBC will take full responsibility for the cost in 2020.

It's likely in the foreseeable that we can see pensioners losing their winter fuel allowances and free bus passes in order that the government can fund tax cuts for the rich. We all know who has been paying for austerity and its not the fat-cat bankers or the wealthy.