Should Free Tv Licences For The Over 75 Be Scrapped?

[Gromit]

Free TV licences were introduced by Gordon Brown, largely as a bribe to get the grey vote. The new Government has decided it does not want to pay for this anymore, so the cost, £650million will now be met by the BBC. In effect money which would go to making programmes is now to be diverted to subsidising pensioners.

Rather a neat trick by The Government, not cutting the subsidy which would be unpopular, but deciding not to fund the subsidy themselves.

Is it time to do away with Gordon's old bribe? Is it not a con that money we all pay to fund the BBC is now being diverted to fund lucences for old people. Or perhaps National Lottery money could be used instead of cutting programming money.

[taranis]

There is so much rubbish on nobody should be paying.

[Old_Geezer]

I think this thread is getting derailed with talk of other government cost cutting.

[gness]

For me the licence is really good value.....there are some TV programmes I enjoy but I couldn't do without the radio.....I'd pay for that alone.

I may be fortunate in not needing a free licence...... and not knowing anyone who does but I would like the BBC to put the money into quality programme making rather than giving it to many of us who really don't need it....

[jno]

There is so much rubbish on nobody should be paying

You don't have to pay if you don't watch, so go right ahead and cancel.

[maggiebee]

You can watch programmes on catch up on your computer - so, if you really don't want to pay for a TV licence just get rid of your TV and use your computer.

[ummmm]

Maggiebee...it's only recently that CB has become means tested.

[Bazile]

maggibee

That's about to change if the Government has it's way

[237SJ]

"There is so much rubbish on nobody should be paying " Trust me (as one who travels all over the world bar Europe) the BBC is actually very good. You can have 50 channels in the US and there is rubbish on every one of them. That is if you can actually find a programme when you channel surf and not get the hoards of adverts. I now take my iPlayer with me.

[ichkeria]

Yes they should. It's a great gift for the Tories though to use this perk for their key voting demographic as a way of cutting BBC funding

[ichkeria]

Though there is talk of extending the licence fee to people using iplayer for catchup which seems only fair

[askyourgran]

I hardly ever watch TV, MrA subscribes to Sky, BBC is only viewed for the news. Other channels get their revenue by advertising. So paying for the licence to watch BBC is an expense we could do without.

[Caribeing]

It shouldn't be scrapped for pensioners who live alone or with their partner, what about a 75 year old living with a family of wage earners, they shouldn't get it but then if you make one rule for one has to be for all licence fee always going to be a contentious issue!

[pixie374]

You only need one per household, so they would be covered anyway. We mostly watch Sky. Would be happy to have BBC taken off and not pay the licence fee...

[gness]

Indeed, Cari.....I have incredibly wealthy friends who were delighted when dad came to live with them and could get a free licence....x

[sir.prize]

AYG - It isn't about whether you watch the BBC

If you watch TV programmes when they're are broadcast you must be covered by a valid TV licence, regardless of:

Which channel you're watching
Which device you are using to watch
How you receive the content (terrestrial, satellite, cable, via the internet, etc).

[trt]

.## Maybe they should introduce a BBC sports channel and increase their licence fee for all those who wish to watch it. ##

They already have AOG, and its £13.00 a month and going up to £19.99 in August.

[Retrochic]

It should be scrapped altogether considering how many other channels there are now. Consumers are paying the BBC for a licence even if they never watch the BBC -its ridiculous. The BBC should run commercials like every other channel Following the decriminalization of watching TV without a licence I think there will be so many defaulters in the future they will have to do something.

[gness]

Thank you, Gromit.....x

[-Talbot-]

Maybe replaced with a reduced fee licence.

[237SJ]

I don`t think free TV licences should be scrapped for the elderly. The TV can be a lifeline for elderly people. It certainly was for my Mum when she was left all alone when my Dad died. There could be a case for means testing though but the powers that be would probably say that it costs too much to means test.