To wonder when the BBC news will mention tv licences for over 75s

[familycourtq]

Story in the i today says BBC will scrap free licences for most over 75s.

Well it’s about time that age bracket faced some level of austerity

I'm afraid I kind of agree with this. Young people have difficulty buying homes, they will probably never see the state pension and their higher education has cost them an eye watering amount. There are many older people who have large amounts of money who enjoy free bus passes, winter fuel and tv licences that they do not need. I count my own relatives in this. At the very least it needs means testing.

The elderly have to fund their own care, all their savings go to this, if needed, and you are denying them a free license
it wont effect anything apart from the BBC, it wont enable any of your offspring to buy their own houses or have a pension.
there is absolutely no comparison

The elderly are the heaviest users. Younger generations are less likely to have a TV license than ever. Why should the least frequent users fund the heaviest?

@EleanorReally, pensioners who can't afford it who are on pension credits will still get it free. Pensioners that can still afford the service should pay for it surely?

Pensioners may have to fund their care a bit later in life, but a lot of us have rent, mortgage, financing kids etc too, should we get it free too?

pride or not that doesn’t change the fact that people not claiming what they are entitled to is the bigger issue. The money they aren’t getting is an awful lot more than the cost of a TV licence so we need to make sure the vulnerable are helped but that doesn’t mean funding things for all

The younger generation are not buying licences, they dont watch live TV.
That is the crux of the matter

Shocked at the attitudes also , do you even know anyone over 75?

Yes I do, Most from ordinary backgrounds but quite comfortable and very partial to foreign holidays.

They have pride, unlike the younger generation

I don't follow this argument. Why would you be too proud to claim pension credits, but not too proud to claim a free TV licence?

This was raised years ago, the government negotiated it with the BBC as part of its remit agreement.

I don't follow this argument. Why would you be too proud to claim pension credits, but not too proud to claim a free TV licence?

Good point,
perhaps to claim pension credits is a lot more complicated, whereas to prove you are over 75 is easy

there will no benefit to anyone apart from BBC and its users.

Bullshit, Eleanor. Sick of funding universal non-means tested benefits. They're a nice to have but no longer affordable.

it wont affect you though chew

and can you really imagine the 90 year old being prosecuted?

As it was only introduced 20 years ago, I doubt many were prosecuted then. No reason to believe that will change now!

Those on pension credit will still get it free so the poorest will not be effected.

Why won’t it effect chew? I’m sure she hopes to live that long!

Oh and it has been on the BBC.

it wont benefit chew, the only benefit will be to the bbc.
it wont make a difference

so instead, you are now asking those that should claim pension credit, to pay pension credit, that will effect the economy more

there will no benefit to anyone apart from BBC and its users.

I think that’s rather the point. At the moment, these free licences account for around 20% of the BBC’s budget. It’s not sustainable.

As for the OP’s question, the story came up as Breaking News on the BBC website yesterday lunchtime. If you ever use that website, you’ll know the story appears regardless of what you’re reading at the time.

Oh and by the way, the government cut funding for this to the BBC back in 2015 so really this is just the impact of the goverment cuts, with the BBC taking the blame.

I’ll happily pay for a TV licence at the age of 75. I’d like there to be some decent and interesting programmes and, although the salaries of presenters won’t have a significant impact, I’d like to see a reduction across the board.

So you don’t think low income pensioners should claim what they are entitled to? But you do think that high income pensioners should continue to get this free perk? Strange!

Typical of the govt imho.
Govt A introduces something popular but pricy. Next govt B decides they can't afford it/wont pay for it but don't want to look
bad - so shoves the responsibility for provision and funding onto the provider, cuts govt funding and then blames the provider for making cuts.
See also local councils and Adult Social Care

Talking about it in 5 live just now

So you don’t think low income pensioners should claim what they are entitled to? But you do think that high income pensioners should continue to get this free perk? Strange!
its not tht I dont think they should claim but 1.3 million dont claim

And it turns out there have been changes to pension credit eligibility.
there are over 75s who may not be rich but also will not be eligible
which i dont think the detractors understand