THE BBC’s decision to scrap free TV licences for many of the country's 3.7 million over-75s has seen protests outside its offices, including Radio Lancashire’s Blackburn base, and a mass petition to reverse the move. BILL JACOBS looks at the backlash against the government and the broadcaster.

WORRIED and angry elderly people have joined street demonstrations and contacted their MPs in protest against the end of universal free TV licences for over-75s with only those receiving Pension Credit exempt from the £154.50 annual fee.

Nationally almost 600,000 people have signed Age UK’s petition ‘Switched Off: Save free TV for older people’ and the furious backlash is reflected across East Lancashire.

The government, which used to pay for the concession, and the BBC, which says it cannot shoulder its cost, have both come under fire from pensioners and organisations representing them.

Over-75s in Blackburn town centre were unhappy at losing the exemption, from June 2020, which many see as a lifeline for the lonely and isolated.

Bill Ryan, 77, said: “I’ll lose my free licence. I’m disappointed but it’s just one of those things. I think a lot of people will suffer.”

Terence Grimshaw, 88, said: “I am disappointed and angry. I’ll have to pay for a new licence but I think it’s the wrong decision. I can’t really do without the TV.”

An 84-year-old woman, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s petty and unfair. I don’t get out much so I watch a lot of TV.”

Local organisations representing older people are urging both the government and the BBC to reconsider.

Vicky Shepherd, chief executive of Age UK Blackburn with Darwen, said: “Responsibility for this should have remained with the government as it is their job to develop welfare policy but I am disappointed with the decision the BBC has made.

“I am concerned about its impact on older people both financially and in terms of increasing isolation and depression.

“I fear it is going to create a lot of worry for some of our most frail older residents.

“We know that older people often under-claim their benefit entitlement. Those who are just above the threshold for pension credit are going to be badly affected and can do without this extra financial pressure.

“I would urge the government and the BBC to look at this again. It has been an ill-thought-out process which is going to have a lot of negative consequences.”

Brian Todd, the 77-year-old chairman of The Blackburn with Darwen Older People’s Forum, said: “I am very sorry about this change.

“It’s all very well saying there are lots of people with big second pensions but that’s not the case in Blackburn with Darwen.

“It’s going to hit a lot of over-75s hard especially in terms of loneliness and isolation.

“It will hit those just above the pension credit limit hard and many people entitled to pension credit don’t claim it as the process is quite complicated and difficult.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

Ribble Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans has no doubt the broadcaster is to blame and said: “I think the government should intervene and instruct the BBC to continue with the commitment to provide free TV licences for over-75s.

"The BBC have people like Gary Lineker on obscene salaries and overloaded bureaucracy, and they should prioritise free licences while making savings on these fronts. Clearly this will have a huge impact on elderly residents who are just above the threshold.”

Blackburn Labour MP Kate Hollern holds the government responsible saying: “This is yet another example of the Tory Government making a decision which it knows will be unpopular but transferring the blame to another organisation.

“Many pensioners across the country, depend on television for companionship and news. This move will almost certainly leave millions lonely. In my constituency potentially 3,140 pensioners will be affected. The elderly have contributed to society throughout their lives.”

Her views are shared by Burnley MP Julie Cooper who told media secretary Jeremy Wright in the House of Commons: “It is not the BBC’s responsibility to guarantee free TV licences for the over-75s any more than it is the energy companies’ responsibility to provide the winter fuel payment. Some 3,600 pensioner households in my constituency have been betrayed.”

He replied: “I am afraid you are wrong. It is the BBC’s responsibility to decide about the licence fee concession; it says so in the Digital Economy Act 2017 which was passed and received ​Royal Assent before the 2017 general election.”

Great Harwood resident Cait Smith, who works with military veterans, branded the move ‘disgusting’ saying: “Some elderly people are isolated. They cannot get out so their TV is the only contact they have all week but they haven’t got the money to pay it. They won’t fill forms for pension credit , they have never had to do it.”

BBC director-general Lord Tony Hall said shouldering the cost of over-75s licence fees would cost the broadcaster £725 million by 2020 putting other services at risk.

A government spokesman said: “We’re very disappointed. We’ve been clear that we want and expect the BBC to continue this concession. People across the country value television as a way to stay connected and we want the BBC to look at further ways to support older people.”

Free TV licence explained

FREE television licences were first paid for by a Labour government in 2000.

Under the Conservatives in 2015, ministers announced that an agreement had been reached between government and the BBC, and the broadcaster would shoulder the cost.

Then media minister John Whittingdale said: “We are all content that it delivers the objective of helping to reduce the deficit while at the same time giving the BBC some of the guarantees they need

about their future.”

The corporation will now means test the licence to prevent financial risk to other services.

A Government spokesman said: “We’re very disappointed with this

decision - we’ve been clear that we want and expect the BBC to continue this concession.

“People across the country value television as a way to stay connected, and we want the BBC to look at further ways to support

older people.

“Taxpayers want to see the BBC using its substantial licence fee

income in an appropriate way to ensure it delivers for

UK audiences, which includes showing restraint on salaries for senior staff.”

BBC response ­— 'Many people could end up better off'

By Clare Sumner BBC’s Director of Policy​

THERE’S been a lot of discussion of the BBC’s decision on the future of free TV licences for over 75s over the past week.

This is a vital issue – for older readers who will be directly affected by this decision from June 2020, but also for everyone who cares about the BBC.

It was the Government who decided to stop paying for free TV licences.

Parliament then gave the BBC responsibility to decide on any new scheme, which we would then need to pay for.

This left us with an incredibly tough decision.

Continuing to offer free licences to all over 75s beyond 2020 would cost us £745 million a year – and rising.

That’s equivalent to around a fifth of what we spend today on all our programmes and services.

This is not money we can simply make up by cutting presenter or manager pay, as some have suggested.

In reality, it would mean closing a whole range of services, including BBC Two, BBC Four, BBC Radio 5 Live, some local radio stations and more.

But we also knew it wouldn’t be fair simply to allow all free licences to end, as that would hit the poorest older pensioners hardest.

Our challenge was to balance what’s fair for older audiences with what’s fair for everyone.

We carried out our largest-ever public consultation – over 190,000 took part. We decided to introduce a new scheme that will provide extra help to those who need it most.

Around 120,822 households across the North West with someone who is currently over 75 and claims Pension Credit will still be eligible for a free licence.

We believe this is the fairest decision within our power to make. It’s fairest for the poorest older pensioners – up to 1.5 million households could get it – and protects those most in need. And it’s fairest for all audiences, old and young, because it protects the programmes and services they value.

I know hundreds of thousands of people have signed a petition which calls for the Government to take back responsibility for funding free TV licences.

This is a matter for the Government. Our priority at the BBC is to make sure the transition to the new scheme is simple and straightforward.

Everyone’s free licence is valid until the end of May next year. We’ll be writing to every one of your readers who currently receives a free licence to tell them what they need to do.

We’ll be working with older people to get this right.

We’ll also be introducing new plans to support those paying for the first time, including payment schemes to help spread the cost.

For some, this may well help them to take up the Pension Credit they are entitled to. Less than twothirds of over 75s who are currently eligible to claim do so, including many thousands in the North West.

For new claimants, that’s worth on average around £2,500 a year. And it means accessing other benefits as well as a free TV licence.

If the BBC’s decision drives up the number of people who claim, then many will end up better off.

That really would be a positive impact.