The BBC is being urged to reduce the television licence fee from £180 to £0 for every one of the 13 million state pensioners in the United Kingdom. An online petition is calling on the Labour Party government and the BBC to take action.
Petition Details
The petition states: "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."
It adds: "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."
Growing Support
The petition has already gathered 1,750 signatures. It needs 10,000 signatures to receive a formal government response. If it reaches 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament. The petition was created by Michael Thompson and has a deadline of 21 July 2026. All petitions run for six months.
Current Licence Fee
The current BBC Charter began on 1 January 2017 and ends on 31 December 2027. Under the Charter, the cost of an annual colour TV licence will rise by £5.50, equivalent to an extra 46p per month. The annual cost of a TV licence will increase to £180 from 1 April 2026, as required by the 2022 Licence Fee Settlement, in line with inflation. The annualised average of CPI from October to September has been used to calculate a 3.14% uplift to the licence fee. The annual cost of a black and white TV licence will be £60.50 for 2026/27.
Background
Currently, only pensioners who receive means-tested Pension Credit are exempt from paying the TV licence fee. The petition argues that this is unfair, stating: "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."
