Anti-BBC TV licence campaigners have ripped up BBC bills during protests across the country in a last-ditch attempt to save the free TV licence.
The corporation’s decision to renege on its deal struck with former George Osborne in 2015 to take on the cost of free licences for the over-75s sparked outrage in the United Kingdom and has prompted many to start protests and campaigns against the move.
Members of the National Pensioners’ Convention have taken to the streets of London, Newcastle, Oxford, Norwich, Liverpool, Irvine and Belfast.
Members held banners saying “don’t switch us off” “government should fund the over 75s TV licence, not the BBC”, while others ripped up their BBC TV licence bills in protest.
Speaking ahead of the rally, general secretary Jan Shortt said: “The free TV licence for all over-75s is a universal entitlement to supplement our poor state pension.
“To force people to find the money to pay for it now, particularly during the pandemic when they rely on their TVs for information, is just cruel.
“That is why the fittest and healthiest of our older members will put on their masks and gloves, and pop sanitiser in their pockets, to join static and socially distanced demonstrations countrywide.”
Part of the deal struck in 2015 was for the government to block legislation brought forward by Tory MP Andrew Bridgen to decriminalise the licence fee which had won backing in Parliament, this means the announcement that 3 million over-75s will be forced to pay the TV licence and also could be dragged through the court systems.
The free licences for over-75s had been due to end on June 1 but this was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
From August the 1st viewers aged 75-plus who currently qualify for a free TV licence will have to pay £157.50 unless they get Pension Credit, around 900,000 people receive the credit, however, 600,000 more are eligible and don’t claim it.
UNN has submitted a freedom of information request to the BBC to understand exactly how many people have cancelled their TV licence between 2018/2019 and the first half of 2020.
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Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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