A TV Licence costs £174.50 a year but at the moment only older people over the age of 75 in receipt of Pension Credit can get one for free
Calls are being made for free TV Licences for all pensioners(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Calls are being made for free TV Licences to be given to all UK pensioners as many “live on the breadline”. Around 8,335 people have signed an online petition urging the Government to fund the TV Licence fee for all State Pensioners and those who reach the official age of retirement, which is currently 66.
Under the existing rules, only older people over the age of 75 in receipt of Pension Credit receive a free licence, saving £174.50 on the annual fee. Petition creator Michael Thompson wrote: “We want the Government to fund free TV licences for existing pensioners and those who reach the official retirement age.
“When people reach retirement age, we think they should receive a state-financed free TV licence. Many pensioners live on the breadline with only the TV for company. With the cost of food soaring and utility bills ever higher, we feel there is a desperate need to provide all pensioners with at least this concession.” This comes as new data revealed that food prices have surged at their swiftest rate for 18 months due to soaring costs of chocolate, butter and eggs, as reported by ChronicleLive.
The petition further adds: “We feel it is a double outrage that those who have given their all to this country in taxes and raising children have to pay a TV licence fee and are only exempt if they receive means-tested Pension Credit. Meanwhile, some media figures draw huge salaries.”
The ‘Fund free TV licences for all pensioners’ petition has been posted on the UK Government’s petitions-parliament website. At 10,000 signatures of support it would be entitled to a written response, and at 100,000, it would be considered by the Petitions Committee for debate in Parliament, reports the Daily Record.
The UK Government has committed to increasing the BBC TV licence fee in line with inflation each year until 2027. The rise from £169.50 to £174.50 in April followed years in which the licence fee was first frozen and then increased at a slower rate than the BBC expected, leaving the corporation increasingly cash-strapped.
However, the Culture Secretary has left the door open to wealthier households paying more for their TV licence as she considers alternatives to the annual fee. Earlier this year, Lisa Nandy said she could be open to replacing the flat licence fee with a sliding scale after a suggestion by the BBC’s new chairman.
Who needs to buy a TV licence?
- A TV licence is needed in the UK to watch or record any programmes as they are being broadcast live on television
- It is also required to watch or stream live programming on any online TV streaming service, such as BBC iPlayer, Sky Go, Amazon prime and YouTube
You can check if you need a TV licence on the TV Licensing website here.
Can you get a discount?
Certain groups are entitled to TV licence discounts such as those who live in care homes, who could get it for free or pay a reduced amount if they are part of an Accommodation for Residential Care scheme – find out more here. People who are registered blind or severely sight impaired are entitled to a half price TV Licence (£87.25) and may be eligible for a refund on payments made in previous years – if they have been the registered TV licence holder.
Free TV Licence for over-75s
If you already receive Pension Credit, you can apply for your free over-75 TV Licence when you are 74 years old. TV Licensing will update your payments to cover you until your 75th birthday, at which point you’ll then be covered by your free licence. They will confirm this in writing.
If you think you’re eligible for a free licence but don’t currently have a TV licence, call 0300 790 6117 and speak to an advisor to request an application form. Lines are open Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 6.30pm.