Currently, if anyone in a household is over the age of 75, it qualifies for a free television licence. Not any longer, will only apply to those on pension credit.

Good too much public money is wasted on old people who are already loaded. Invest in the younger generations who really need the support

Too much money is wasted on the BBC

With people now on average living longer the number of people exempt was only going to get bigger, so it's a good move.

The people in true need of this will still get it....

Commercialise the BBC and scrap all TV licences.

This would be ok if the BBC weren’t so wasteful - for example they could save a fortune by sending 20 less presenters to France for a month to cover the Women’s World Cup. As it is it just mainly penalises some of the weakest in society

Sensible.

They’ve taken the decision the cowardly Tory government wouldn’t, the only decision that was open to them without closing down many of their services.

Hand forced by the government unfortunately. Nightmare decision to make for the BBC.

But at least super wealthy people can pay less tax soon. Yay.

I was looking forward to my free licence in a few years time

martin_p wrote:They’ve taken the decision the cowardly Tory government wouldn’t, the only decision that was open to them without closing down many of their services.

With the number of channels now available, both tv & radio, it’s time to close down some services. As stated above the waste in news and sport broadcasting is diabolical. With sport, especially, people want the sport not 4 or 5 golden oldies prattling on beforehand and two commentators per event. With the news they have a separate team in attendance for national tv, local tv, national radio, local radio plus sundry others.

Tricky Trevor wrote:With the number of channels now available, both tv & radio, it’s time to close down some services. As stated above the waste in news and sport broadcasting is diabolical. With sport, especially, people want the sport not 4 or 5 golden oldies prattling on beforehand and two commentators per event. With the news they have a separate team in attendance for national tv, local tv, national radio, local radio plus sundry others.

And those other channels cost a hell of a lot more than the BBC. We’re not just talking about a BBC3 type closure here, BBC1 will just about be the only tv channel they have left if they continue to need to fund free tv licences.

We got rid of the TV service and don't pay the licence fee as everything we watch is on Netflix or Amazon prime. Who needs live TV nowadays?

Agree with the earlier poster re the wasteful habits of the BBC. It only needs to rain or snow for 24 hours before they send some bloody reporter and a camera crew to stand out in the wilds at the back of beyond trying to convince us that the Great Flood is imminent or we are going to disappear in a deluge of snow -- when in reality the storm misses us or the snow is only an inch deep. Absolute waste of money and as for the time and effort they have spent on bloody Brexit............!!!!Grrrrrr!!

Do people pay for a tv licence ?

Haven't both the 2015 and 2017 tory manifestos promised to resurrect government funding for the over 75 TV licence, after a previous tory administration cut the funding in the first place?

Instead the BBC have had to shoulder the cost, and have now had to take this step.

claretonthecoast1882 wrote:Do people pay for a tv licence ?

It's not as if you can be put in prison for not paying it.

Tall Paul wrote:It's not as if you can be put in prison for not paying it.

That is good to hear, no chance of the police kicking doors in then

martin_p wrote:And those other channels cost a hell of a lot more than the BBC. We’re not just talking about a BBC3 type closure here, BBC1 will just about be the only tv channel they have left if they continue to need to fund free tv licences.

They don’t cost us anything. Only the BBC gets direct government funding. Ironically BBC3 was a channel I enjoyed but now is online only.
They should change their game and go genre: bbc sport, music, movies, entertainment, etc., with their back catalogue they have some wonderful stuff that never gets aired.

Goobs wrote:We got rid of the TV service and don't pay the licence fee as everything we watch is on Netflix or Amazon prime. Who needs live TV nowadays?

Agree with this. I only watch Netflix and could do without the BBC and it’s PC motivated and unbalanced agenda. Do you just nominate not to pay it / view it and it’s up to them to prove otherwise ?

ClaretTony wrote: I was looking forward to my free licence in a few years time

Do you need one?

Tall Paul wrote:It's not as if you can be put in prison for not paying it.

They have to catch you watching TV first.

How much is a licence nowadays? Looks like I might have to raid my mother's pension fund to pay for one!

Blackrod wrote:Agree with this. I only watch Netflix and could do without the BBC and it’s PC motivated and unbalanced agenda. Do you just nominate not to pay it / view it and it’s up to them to prove otherwise ?

You're meant to have a TV licence if you own a device that can be used to watch BBC in any format, including catch up and iPlayer.

If you don't have one then I assume they'll check to see if you've got a TV registered at the house, maybe even computers and mobile phones.

Grumps wrote:Do you need one?

Afraid so

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote:You're meant to have a TV licence if you own a device that can be used to watch BBC in any format, including catch up and iPlayer.

If you don't have one then I assume they'll check to see if you've got a TV registered at the house, maybe even computers and mobile phones.

Not strictly true. Smart TV's are fine provided you don't use the BBC apps then you don't need a licence. You need a licence if you watch ANY live TV or use any bbc TV facilities. Your capability to watch them does not require you to purchase a licence.

Blackrod wrote:Agree with this. I only watch Netflix and could do without the BBC and it’s PC motivated and unbalanced agenda. Do you just nominate not to pay it / view it and it’s up to them to prove otherwise ?

Contact the TV licensing service and tell them your situation.

I didn't use live TV for a few years, just DVDs. They don't pester you like they used to but might remind you occasionally that if your circumstances change...

You may need a licence to use BBC iPlayer.

Of course if people don't pay their licence and still use the BBC and other live TV eventually the authorities will have to do something. You may not like the BBC but it produces and shows a lot of good TV which I would miss if it were gone. I watch more BBC programmes then from any other source. Very rarely do I watch the other terrestrial channels apart from films.

Blackrod wrote:Agree with this. I only watch Netflix and could do without the BBC and it’s PC motivated and unbalanced agenda. Do you just nominate not to pay it / view it and it’s up to them to prove otherwise ?

Phone them up and advise if your situation and they will let you know if you require one. If not you have to sign a declaration every two years to state you are not watching any live TV or any bbc services such as I player.

dsr wrote:How much is a licence nowadays? Looks like I might have to raid my mother's pension fund to pay for one!

£154.50 for the year which works out at 42p per day

If you watch or record shows as they're being shown on telly in the UK ('live TV'), you need to be covered by a TV licence. You also need one if you use BBC iPlayer – see below.

What many may not realise is that this is the case regardless of the device you're watching on – according to research published by TV Licensing, over 31% of students don't know watching live TV on a mobile phone requires a licence (though in most cases you don't need two if you already have one).

So whether you're watching live TV on a television, computer, tablet, games console, smartphone or any other device, you'll need to pay the fee.

However you do not need a TV licence if you only watch content after it's been shown on television – UNLESS it's on iPlayer. TV programmes downloaded or streamed after broadcast on other catch-up services are fine without one though.

You can buy or renew your TV licence online on the TV Licensing website.

Both my left-wing and right-wing Facebook friends love to bash the BBC for being biased against them.

That's how I know it's actually balanced. Long live the BBC!

I like the BBC. There is a lot of crap on it that I don't watch but there is also a lot of good dramas. Just started watching years and years and Planets, both excellent. MOTD is good as well.
There is a lot of crap on Netflix that I don't watch, but I still have Netflix

The issue is we are forced to pay for the bbc rather than have a choice. Personally I would still pay for the bbc if it was a optional subscription, however if that was the case many wouldn't and the bbc would not be able to compete for any live sport or MOTD.


As for it being free for the over 75s, like winter fuel allowance, like bus passes, IMO it should all be means tested. Why does a millionaire pensioner need a winter fuel allowance and a free bus pass.
All benefits should be means tested. People will say it will cost too much to means tested but surely there is a computer system out there that could work out if someone is on a large pension

Iv never paid for a TV licence and never will.

JimMcDonald wrote:Iv never paid for a TV licence and never will.

I hear you've never bought a round either Jim

Inchy wrote:As for it being free for the over 75s, like winter fuel allowance, like bus passes, IMO it should all be means tested. Why does a millionaire pensioner need a winter fuel allowance and a free bus pass.
All benefits should be means tested. People will say it will cost too much to means tested but surely there is a computer system out there that could work out if someone is on a large pension

Fair point for the rest, but you could leave out the bus passes. Millionaire pensioners tend not to use bus passes anyway; if they do, then it means that one or more people are going by bus instead of driving which is good for the environment; and if they didn't give free bus passes, they would probably have to find a different way of subsidising the buses so it isn't really costing the government any extra.

dsr wrote:Fair point for the rest, but you could leave out the bus passes. Millionaire pensioners tend not to use bus passes anyway; if they do, then it means that one or more people are going by bus instead of driving which is good for the environment; and if they didn't give free bus passes, they would probably have to find a different way of subsidising the buses so it isn't really costing the government any extra.

Fair point

TBH no political party will take these things away from pensioners because pensioners vote

JimMcDonald wrote:Iv never paid for a TV licence and never will.

To be fair, Jim. The BBCs remit doesn't extend all the way to Trollland.

Excellent !

Great, no more listening to their biased commentrarys, no way will I be paying to fund those MOTD pundit tossers.

Would rather have BBC who's aim is to "educate, inform and entertain" than turn a profit.

ClaretTony wrote:Afraid so

Sorry to hear that.

Blackrod wrote:Agree with this. I only watch Netflix and could do without the BBC and it’s PC motivated and unbalanced agenda

This is the BBC, who would sit a flat earther next to a PhD Scientist in the name of balance.

I agree with the idea that If the left and the right are p1ssed they must be doing a good job.

Yes lets hit the OAP,s in the pocket means there will be more cash available for assylum seekers and the LGTB community.

martin_p wrote:They’ve taken the decision the cowardly Tory government wouldn’t

I'd be surprised If there hasn't been pressure from the Government in the back rooms. The govt pays for the over 75s licence fees so the BBC has just saved the government upward of £655 million a year.

By making it a BBC issue they avoid p1ssing off their base and keep a huge chunk of change.

Why should the government fund it,just because youre over 75?, You could be very rich and over 75, iam not far off, and all being well will be able to afford it.

ClaretTony wrote: I was looking forward to my free licence in a few years time

Mark my words,Next it will an all out attack on bus passes for us hard up pensioners ..

conyoviejo wrote:Mark my words,Next it will an all out attack on bus passes for us hard up pensioners ..

Wouldn't surprise me

CombatClaret wrote:I'd be surprised If there hasn't been pressure from the Government in the back rooms. The govt pays for the over 75s licence fees so the BBC has just saved the government upward of £655 million a year.

By making it a BBC issue they avoid p1ssing off their base and keep a huge chunk of change.

The pressure came a few years ago when the government said that the BBC would have to pay for the free licences in the future, not the government. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33414693" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bloody hell, bet B&Q scrap pensioner Thursday next.........