Campaigners have just 24 hours to sign a petition calling on the UK government to provide free TV licences for all pensioners. If the petition reaches 100,000 signatures by July 21, it will be considered for a parliamentary debate, putting pressure on the new government under Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Petition Nears Threshold
The petition currently has over 66,000 signatures. It states: “We want the Government to fund free TV licences for existing pensioners and those who reach the official retirement age. 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.”
The petition argues it is a “double outrage” that pensioners who have contributed to society must pay the licence fee unless they receive means-tested Pension Credit, while some media figures earn high salaries.
Political Context
Andy Burnham, known as a BBC supporter, is set to become Prime Minister today after visiting the Palace to formally take over from Sir Keir Starmer. He will outline his domestic priorities in his first Downing Street speech. A cabinet reshuffle is expected, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy potentially moving, meaning a new DCMS head could face MPs on the issue if the petition succeeds.
Allies suggest Burnham could back a “fairer” TV licence fee and a faster BBC shift to the regions, reducing costs for lower-income households, according to i News.
Current TV Licence Concessions
The standard UK TV Licence costs £180 annually; a black-and-white licence is £60.50. Free licences are only available to households where someone is aged 75 or over and receives Pension Credit. Universal free licences for 3.7 million over-75s ended on 31 July 2020. The BBC said subsidising all over-75s would have led to “unprecedented closures”.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) responded to the petition after it reached 10,000 signatures, stating it is keeping an “open mind” about new concessions. The DCMS said: “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 DCMS added that the government is committed to the current licence fee and concessions until the end of 2027, and noted that while 94% of adults use the BBC monthly, fewer than 80% of households pay, “contributing to an ongoing pressure on the BBC’s funding which includes the extent to which concessions are possible.”
Financial and Social Impact
The State Pension age is rising to 67 by April 2028. According to the Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement, 13% of 65-year-olds had gone without essentials in the last year, compared to 4% of those aged 67; among those in poor health aged 60 to 65, 31% had gone without essentials.
The DCMS estimated the cost of universal free TV licences for over-75s could have reached £745 million per annum before the 2020 change. The BBC Charter Review is examining funding alternatives, including commercial advertising or a subscription model.
