By James Rodger
Copyright birminghammail
There are new calls to scrap the BBC TV licence fee for all pensioners. As it stands, only older people over the age of 75 in receipt of Pension Credit currently receive a free TV licence, saving £174.50 on the annual fee. Petition creator Michael Thompson argues that “many pensioners live on the breadline with only the TV for company”. He added: “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.” Mr Thompson also said: “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 BBC TV licence fee and are only exempt if they receive means-tested Pension Credit. Meanwhile, some media figures draw huge salaries.” READ MORE Drivers in England face new midday to 8pm ban from September 21 Labour Party Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she could be open to replacing the flat licence fee with a sliding scale after a suggestion by the BBC’s new chairman. Dr Samir Shah, who took over as chairman in March last year, told the Sunday Times he would be in favour of a more progressive way of paying for the corporation, saying: “Why should people who are poor pay the same as people in wealthy households?” Ms Nandy said at the time: “We are keen that whatever we do in the charter review that it commands broad public support and that it is progressive. “The licence fee is a flat rate. It’s harder for poorer households to pay it and we’ve seen some horrendous cases where the BBC has prosecuted mainly vulnerable women for not paying the licence fee. “We think that’s completely unacceptable.” Other options suggested for funding the BBC include a subscription model, but Mr Shah said it “would not meet the BBC’s key role to offer something for everyone in the country”.
