Would you be willing to pay more for your TV licence to ensure it stays free for over 75s?

[ChaosTrulyReigns]

I blinking would.

I know it's be a administrative impossiblity to achieve, but volunteering to pay an extra £5/£10 per year? Could it work?

It’s not like the government mentioned to the bbc that they will stop funding last week. BBC have known about this for a few years. Instead they spend a ridiculous amount on a TV set.
That could have been spent on making new content. It could have been spent on funding free licenses.

Perks/benefits should be means tested not freely given because of age. Why should a generation retain everything when other generations have faced drastic cuts over the years?

Having health issues isn’t a reason. There’s loads of people out there with various health issues including back, hip pain, migraines etc who have to work to survive because of cuts.

"My parents worked a damn lot harder than a lot of youngsters, most of who don't even start work until well into their 20's."

I got my first job at 14 (part time), first full time job at 16, until I became disabled, aside from less than a year off after having dd I've always worked. Several of the women I know who are now over 75 and perfectly comfortably off haven't worked since before having children and either only went part time when they did return if they returned to work at all. Several of the men retired before 65.

@dottierichardson is it FUCK pensioner hating! My parents, my ex in laws and the others I know have actually commented on FB since I last posted saying they think it's fair. I've had many discussions with my parents and their siblings about how fortunate they've been as a generation to have cheaper housing, better pensions etc. One of my uncles retired at 50 ffs! And he and his wife (who retired at 55) have a lovely home, 2 lovely cars, regular holidays and never go without, he didn't start full time work until he was 22 as he went to uni - on a grant!

I have a complicated relationship with my parents but I have a lot of time for their siblings and my ex in laws, it's nothing to do with feeling negatively towards them personally.

But if you want to go down that road...I've had NO support from my parents by way of childcare, deposit for a house or anything like that! I've raised dd alone for 16 years, in that time I've worked full time, been a full time student while also working part time, then was working full time again until I became disabled and unable to work. Since then I've been in receipt of benefits which I was eligible for but I still had to pay my tv license and all other bills!

I've had times when I've had to go without meals so dd can eat, shoes so dd is clothed, I still regularly am in bed in the winter with many layers on to stay warm so I'm only having the heating on when dd is home (she also has a disability and being chilled can mean she is in quite a bit of pain).

My dd and I and our generations/demographic are the ones that have been hardest hit by "austerity policies" - which have been targeted at the poor, sick, disabled and single parent families (most of which are headed by women), so we know perfectly well about inequality!

Pensioners have barely been touched - as a demographic. Mainly because they vote and they tend to vote Tory! So the tories generally aren't stupid enough to shoot themselves in the foot this way.

Although none of the over 75's I know vote Tory but they're mostly scots.

I'll never be in a position to buy a home, I'll more than likely be reliant on benefits to some degree for the rest of my life and I am worried sick about what will happen to dd and what position she'll be in as she'll likely be in a wheelchair by her 50's and may even need full time care.

This ISN'T pitting one group against another it's treating the majority fairly, I've yet to see or hear a comment from a well off over 75 year old saying it isn't fair, they understand that it's a nonsense to subsidise this for propel who can easily afford it.

My parents can't get pension credit because they have less than £1 more coming in than needed to qualify. Obviously though in la la land they are well off.

I begrudge them nothing. As I said they went without enough when I was young.

Amortenia, if you read my posts you will see that I said my mum worked until late 60's. Considering she started work at 14 I think she did more than her fair share.

Yes the retirement age is going up but youngsters don't start work now at 14 do they? Most don't even start before early 20's

I agree with a pp that pensioners have been largely protected from austerity. It disgusts me that austerity has been targeted more towards children rather than the elderly. It's about time they had to pay for their tv licence.

I don't remember seeing elderly people up in arms about child benefit changes, so I couldn't give a shit about them paying to watch tv.

It disgusts me that austerity has been targeted more towards children rather than the elderly.

Personally I think it's more women - and through them - children. Plus the disabled of all stripes, naturally.

I don't remember seeing elderly people up in arms about child benefit changes, so I couldn't give a shit about them paying to watch tv.

Rare for the underlying intent to be laid so bare. A ceaselessly squabbling population is a doddle to control. Which was the whole point, of course ....

Trouble is the last Labour government gave so many "freebies" and handouts just to secure votes to keep them in power. All their bribes were never affordable.

Yes the retirement age is going up but youngsters don't start work now at 14 do they? Most don't even start before early 20's

Who are these "youngsters" you're talking about? I literally don't know a single person who wasn't working at least part time from about 16. Those that aren't starting until their 20a are presumably well off so wouldn't have been working at 14 fifty years ago.

No I wouldn’t pay.
The proposal is to means test the licence which would protect poorer pensioners.
I feel means testing should be increased across the board.
I used to help people apply for benefits and saw people living in expensive properties and having large savings applying for Attendance allowance and DLA.

No i don't see a need for free TV for OAPs.
My ILs have more than we'll ever have. My parents lived in a small house are ok.

What I'd suppport would be a discount for single people, the same as council tax.

Reads like a lot of sour grapes because some people have more than you. Maybe by the time you reach their age you will have more wealth. Maybe they saved hard for their retirement to save being a burden on the state?

No, happy to have it free for those who survive on benefits but i know plenty of well off pensioners

Maybe they saved hard for their retirement to save being a burden on the state?

I used to write continuing care reports for the NHS. Believe me when I say people with money don't give a damn about being a "burden on the state". They want to keep every bloody penny of it if they can.

I know pensioners with massive incomes that don’t need free tv licences, buss passes or winter fuel allowances! And they admit they don’t need them, where working families struggle to make ends meet.

I feel means testing should be increased across the board.

Even if it costs more to implement than it saves ?

Pensioners enjoy a lower level of general taxation, as they do not pay National insurance ( yes this was sold to us as pension contributions, but in practice it just gets added to the general tax pot).

Means tested benefits can be problematic, as they can be expensive to administer and not everyone eligible will apply, either through ignorance or pride.

I would be in favour of keeping all existing pensioner benefits, but pensioners paying National Insurance. That way the poorest would benefit, as they pay little to no taxes anyway, but the rich would have the money clawed back in the form of tax.

Simple and cheap to administer.

Saved hard to prevent being a burden? Ha! Many years of community nursing has shown me how the reality is many refuse to buy in help that would keep them safe at home, and instead muddle on stubbornly falling about all over the place in inappropriate housing, in and out of A&E sustaining injuries that costs the NHS thousands and placing a massive burden on health services. Then refuse care packages when they are discharged to restart the cycle. Because they don't want to pay. God knows what exactly they're saving for?
I wonder if the removal of my child benefit cost more than it gained?

I wonder if the removal of my child benefit cost more than it gained?

Who gives a shit ? It wasn't a money-saving measure. Neither was the bedroom tax. They were specifically intended to teach poor people their place. Like PIP which was sold as a way to make life better for the disabled, but then a minister let slip that it hadn't saved any money - which it was never supposed to.

"fallingabout all over the place in inappropriate housing,

Funny how ive seen posts on other threads from people UNDER pension age saying how they hoped to leave the house to their DC. They never get pulled up on it Although i did pull them up on it and reminded them that they should sell it to pay for their care later on should they need to. As im sure MN isnt just applying this to one generation.

Im sure no one will disagree as we are all talking about it being fair and means testing right across the board.

The pressure on the NHS will get worse now the Pension Credit cut for mixed age couples has come in, In a lot of cases the younger partner is the older ones carer. Well with in work conditionality factored in and if some do get jobs they wont be able to please both their employer and the NHS!

Falling about in appropriate housing???? Ha! You aint seen nothing yet!!

Not a chance.

Pension credit - yes

Helping the poor baby boomers watch tv for free - errr NOPE

More than happy to subsidise those of all ages who can't afford it (and pay a bit more for this actually) but disagree with subsidising based purely on age, given that some over 75s are very well off.

let’s hope they reap what they sow in terms of their attitudes to older people

This made me laugh because it reminded me of something my mother used to say, 'I hope you have a daughter just like you'. I was smart enough then not to remark that at least mine wouldn't have a mother like her, but I still recall thinking it really hard.

I don't think all pensioners are living it up at the expense of everyone else, but nor do I think all pensioners are providing childcare and deposits and bending over backwards for everyone. I actually don't know any pensioners that would fit either unless we twisted things a bit or any who think, out of all the things, that TV license would be a priority for how to best help those over 75 who do face challenges.

I do agree with what Martin Lewis said about how the BBC needs to make a conscious effort to understand and promote Pension Credits and making it more accessible as it is very underclaimed if that is what they're going to use that as the gateway.