Campaigners are urging more people to sign a parliamentary petition that calls for restoring free TV licences for all state pensioners before it closes on July 21. The petition, hosted on the official UK Parliament website, has garnered just under 58,000 signatures. If it reaches 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Petition Gains Traction Amid BBC Charter Review
Supporters hope the campaign will add pressure on ministers as the Government continues work on the future of the BBC through the ongoing BBC Charter Review, which is examining how the broadcaster will be funded in the years ahead. The petition has already prompted a formal response from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) after passing the 10,000-signature threshold required for an official government reply.
In its response, the DCMS said it was 'keeping an open mind' about future TV licence concessions, but stressed there are no plans to introduce free TV licences for all pensioners during the current BBC Charter period, which runs until the end of 2027. The department stated: "There are a number of TV licence concessions available, including for over-75s in receipt of Pension Credit. There is no BBC concession to provide free TV licences for all pensioners at this time. The Government believes that public service broadcasting and the BBC in particular, are vital British assets that support our democracy, bring our communities together, and help to shape and define our nation."
Current Eligibility for Free TV Licences
The standard UK TV Licence rose to £180 per year this year. A black-and-white only licence is priced at £60.50. Currently, to be eligible for a free TV licence as a pensioner in the UK, either the person or their partner living at the same address must be aged 75 or above and in receipt of Pension Credit. Other concessions are available for people who are registered blind or severely sight impaired, as well as some disabled residents and older people living in qualifying residential care.
What Campaigners Want
The petition is calling for the Government to fund free TV licences for everyone who reaches state pension age, rather than limiting the concession to those receiving Pension Credit. It states: "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. 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."
Why the Rules Changed
Universal free TV licences for everyone aged 75 and over ended on July 31, 2020, when the BBC replaced the scheme with the current means-tested system. The broadcaster said at the time that continuing to fund free licences for all over-75s would have led to 'unprecedented closures' to BBC services. According to the DCMS, restoring the universal concession would have cost an estimated £745m a year. The department also pointed to wider funding pressures facing the BBC, noting that while around 94% of UK adults use BBC services every month, fewer than 80% of households pay the licence fee. It added: "We also do not plan to revisit the decision on over-75s licences as the BBC provides a concession for over-75s on Pension Credit, which targets those most in need of support."
With the petition due to close on July 21, campaigners are hoping a late surge in support will be enough to secure the 100,000 signatures needed for MPs to consider debating the issue. The petition can be viewed and signed on the UK Parliament website.
