100-year-old woman among pensioners threatened with court over TV licence fee

21 comments

1. Pensioners as old as 100 are being sent letters threatening them with prosecution for [failing to pay their TV licence fee](https://inews.co.uk/news/media/pension-credit-claimants-missing-free-tv-licence-3527841?ico=in-line_link) – despite claims the BBC is operating an “unofficial amnesty” for thousands of elderly non-payers.

   The BBC ended universal free licences for over-75s in 2020, but it is understood it has yet to prosecute anyone in that age bracket [found not to be paying the charge](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/winter-fuel-payment-cost-bbc-millions-3470847?ico=in-line_link).

   However, despite a lack of prosecutions, campaign groups say elderly people are being sent letters every few weeks threatening them with enforcement visits, fines and prosecution.

   *The i Paper* has discovered Aileen Boor, from Stockport, was pursued with letters threatening action, up to her death at the age of 100. Her daughter said Mrs Boor had “picked out her outfit” she planned to wear in court.

   Despite each letter warning of further action in the course of four years, Mrs Boor did not face any enforcement proceedings.

   With the licence fee increasing by £5 to £174.50 in April, alongside other bill increases, experts and charities have warned more older people could find themselves unable to pay and left feeling threatened and harassed by repeated demands for payment.

   Silver Voices, a non-profit campaign group for the over-60s, estimates that around 200,000 over-75s are [not paying the licence fee](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/starmer-abandons-plan-scrap-bbc-licence-fee-stay-new-3168017?ico=in-line_link).

   Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, said: “Some of our members have received 50 letters over four years from TV Licensing threatening visits, prosecutions and £1,000 fines. But the letters aren’t followed up and action isn’t taken.

   “The BBC is operating an unofficial amnesty on prosecuting the over-75s. They should just admit it publicly because it’s wasting a ridiculous amount of money on administration by sending all these letters.”

   Reed added he believes the BBC wants to avoid the bad publicity that would follow dragging elderly pensioners through the courts for non-payment.

2. I’m confused. Am I supposed to be outraged at the licence fee, or outraged about the existing two-tier system where they refuse to prosecute people who break the law just because they might get cancelled?

3. Today, in rip off Britain.

4. I will never pay this nonce hiding company a penny.

5. Starmer’s Britain

6. The BBC once claimed that slavery was good because it led to high performers in the olympics.

   Fuck those racist, biased, nonce enabling fuckers.

   Don’t pay them a penny. Fuck them all.

7. Absolute MENACE TO SOCIETY these license fee dodging OAPs! By far, the absolute worst thing plaguing this once great country. What next? Granny gangs? It starts with not paying the fee, next thing they’re slinging crack disguised as Werther’s Original to toddlers.

8. Easy targets

   Try getting a tv licence out of a foreign national

9. BBC is desperate because they know a lot of younger generations dont use watch bbc shows much. Targeting the elderly because its the only real source of revenue

10. I hope she’s laughing and doesn’t give a flying fuckarooney.

11. Everyone should stop paying this unfair tax , are they going to summon everyone to court ? 😂

12. Sexual assault on women = no prison time
    Not paying for something you shouldn’t have to pay for to begin with = prison time
    UK is a silly place.

13. >100-year-old woman among pensioners threatened with court over TV licence fee

    Am I missing something?

    [If you’re 75 or over and you receive Pension Credit you can claim a free TV licence. It’ll cover you and anyone you live with, regardless of their age. If you’re blind or you have a severe sight impairment you can claim a 50% discount on your licence.](https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/tv-licence-concessions/#:~:text=If%20you%27re%2075%20or%20over%20and%20you%20receive,can%20claim%20a%2050%25%20discount%20on%20your%20licence.)

14. Just put adverts on the BBC and be done with it. Nobody cares about the BBC anymore like they did when it was only 4 channels.

15. Gary linekier wants his bit of meat.

16. Foreigner here, why is this still a thing? I find it really infuriating how these letters are sent as if you have been cited or basically threatening you to pay for something you don’t even use. I don’t have a TV or watch anything live or cable related, yet we get pestered by these annoying letters all the time.

17. Like actually threatened with court or just sent one of those over the top letters. Because they threaten everyone.

18. NHK in Japan recently announced they were going to get draconian on anyone and everyone who isn’t paying Japan’s version of the licence fee. Even if you don’t own a TV or means of watching.

19. >But Mrs Boor, from Stockport, who refused to pay on principle

    So she was using it and just refusing to pay? Why are they framing this that we’re supposed to be sympathetic?

20. What a bollocks story. Nobody was prosecuted, they just got sent standard form letters from the BBC because they didn’t have a TV licence, just like everybody else.

21. I’m surprised there has never been a lawsuit against the BBC for harassment. The letters are unnecessarily aggressive and are aimed to panic people, how do they get away with it?

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