Free TV Licences to be limited to poor pensioners over 75

[Mum31]

K bye.

It's not just about pensioners you know, it's a wildly recognised fact that the current set of pensioners are the richest generation there's ever been and ever will be for quite a while. Tens of thousands of articles out there from reputable data sources like the office of national statistics.

As already said 1/3 will still get it for free. The poorest pensioner that never saved a penny for retirement will receive £720 a month + all rent paid + bus pass + winter fuel + free TV licence still. That's way more than many working people have, not cruise and Merc money but not starving and cold either.

But we’re not necessarily talking about the ones that get all their rent paid, we’re talking about the people in the middle.
The ones that have to sell up their home to pay for their nursing care.
Trust me I’ve cared for enough ex proffesional 90 year olds who don’t have enough money to eat properly or fix things in their home for example.
It’s not the benefits recipients or the rich I worry for it’s those who are in between.

 

[Miss polar]

None of what you said in any way makes a case for the richest pensioners being exempt from paying. FWIW, I think the BBC are appalling, and the licence fee should be abolished!

Whike it still exists though i’m Pleased that this particular demographic are having to pay. Pensioners have been untouchable politically for so long.

 

[Peachy10]

Totally agree that the TV license should be means tested for older people. Same with attendance allowance benefit - it should be means tested. The money saved could be invested into ensuring there are better public sector and voluntary services within the community for older people to avoid hospital admissions, create more befriending services, community groups etc.

 

[yellow submarine]

About time this happened. All benefits should be means tested and no this isn't pensioner hating. My parents aren't wealthy and will have to buy there's now but they support this as the brunt of the cuts have been disportionately targetted at younger people. The only pensioner I know that's furious with this is my FIL who's by far very wealthy (two homes and one even has a lift!) and could pay for everyone's licence on his street without even noticing!

 

[Whatliesbeneath]

BBC three is also online now and I feel like younger viewers used to mostly watch that out of the BBC channels. I think most of their stuff is on Youtube bar the odd longer documentaries they've done.

Yes i used to watch bbc three and now i no longer watch any other bbc channels. The only tv i watch is itv, channel 4 or channel 5... which by law you dont need a tv licence. Ridiculous how you cant have a choice. If the bbc put up like a code or something you had to enter to watch bbc channels then fantastic i would not be paying

 

[LaCrumpet]

The BBC is the biggest scam ever. Would Netflix get away with saying you need to pay your subscription because you have the internet and the ability to stream it. It’s a disgrace. Just because I have a TV doesn’t mean I watch the BBC. Employing doorstep intimidators to check and scare people into paying it is shameful. Why don’t they have a subscription service? Because they would get less money.... and there would be no platform for propaganda.

 

[Web30]

I think the tv licence is a massive waste of money. I do watch the bbc but only for Eastenders. They should just advertise like other channels do or offer it as a subscription tbh if I had the choice I wouldn't bother. I've actually noticed recently that we rarely watch hardly any of the pay for channels on sky anymore. The kids watch youtube and I mostly watch netflix.

We are the same. We are getting rid of our cable package as we just use it less and less. Any normal tv i watch is just on catch up on the basic 5 channels anyway.

 

[Mum31]

Yes i used to watch bbc three and now i no longer watch any other bbc channels. The only tv i watch is itv, channel 4 or channel 5... which by law you dont need a tv licence. Ridiculous how you cant have a choice. If the bbc put up like a code or something you had to enter to watch bbc channels then fantastic i would not be paying

Actually buy law the BBC says you have to have a licence regardless of what channel you’re watching so long as it’s live streaming.
Of course they rely on prize idiots to actually pay it.

 

[specialone50]

I can agree to the richest pensioners being means tested .but my mum and dad are 82 and 86 bith were children in the 2nd world war and both suffered terribly .My mum losing her mum at 5 and her dad away fighting in the navy for us all to enjoy the freedom we have today .I've been in the situation were I've had no money and 3 children and had to rely on benefits to get me through .My husband works 72 hours a week and I work 2 minimum wage jobs and I still wouldn't begrudge anyone struggling anything they are entitled to .My mum worked till she was 60 and dad had to give up due to very poor health.The last 10 years they haven't enjoyed holidays abroad or gone out so they rely o m the tv as their entertainment so I dont begrudge them or others like them anything they worked for .As for snowflakes believe me I work in a school and a lot of the parents are full on snowflakes these pensioners would run rings around us all today with the life they've endured .

 

[F the dust.]

Unpopular opinion ahead....prisoners due to circumstance don't pay for the privilege of watching bbc1. May stopping paying such extortionate wages to Liniker and the like?