BBC License new liability for most over 75's

Why in this day and age should we still need to pay to have a TV. I like everyone else has paid for TV for many years, but why should we need to. I pay road tax to keep up with road maintenance but why do I need to pay to have pictures sent over the air waves. I had to buy my TV and when its old I have to buy another, but I've never understood why I should have to pay to see it.

Nipsmum - licence pays for all the staff at BBC, and for programmes being made - people do not work for free. How would you suggest these people are paid? -
by the government of the day - not sure if we would really want that - would mean that the said government would have total control over what is being put out on TV.
Through adverts? Not for me, we have too many channels like that as it is -
So without a licence - how???

We did get a reminder and we did pay! (with gritted teeth)

I’ve had an e-mail and form to complete to start paying my TV licence again. It came about 2 months ago.

There is so much biased rubbish on BBC especially since they got rid of Andrew Kier who gave politicians from both sides a good rollicking. I hardly watch it now so won’t be renewing my licence unless it dramatically improves. I will watch tv you don’t need a licence for so won’t be breaking any laws.

My mother who is 85 got her letter last week. She has macular degeneration and cannot read the forms so I paid it online. Took 5 minutes. She is not on pension credit so not entitled to a free licence and is registered partially sighted not severely visually impaired so cannot get it for half price.
She was in a terrible state when the letter came sobbing and beating herself up for not being able to read the forms. This is despite me telling her countless times that I would deal with it and to put the letter aside till I came. I think it was poor planning sending letters out during a pandemic as not everyone will have a family member or close friend able to assist (some not at all) due to social distancing etc. My mother does tend to be selectively visually impaired though as she can see when she wants to!

I think that is really sad, ElainI, and there should be something in place for people who have visual difficulties.
I know it is not a common view but I actually think that in order to have a first class national service, it is not unreasonable to have everybody pay a small amount for it except for those who are on a very low income. Whilst I think stars and top dogs are completely overpaid, you have to pay the industry standard to attract the best unless you want to compromise quality.
Before I duck, I just want to say that my Mum received a free licence and will have to pay for it now. She resents it, of course. However, she has the money to pay for it and won't go short. Sadly though, I suspect with the younger generations more inclined to watch streaming services, we will soon see the end of terrestrial tv and this charge is just delaying the inevitable.

Received a letter 2 weeks ago and paid it online.
My husband is 88 so perhaps they are sending them out in some sort of unknown order

My mum is 94 and got her letter about 2 weeks ago. I advised her to wait a little while in case anything changes. She is not very happy about it. For those on PC who don’t have to pay, fine but why assume that everyone else can afford it? My mum just about gets by on her pension but has no “spare” money floating about.

Me to

If I don't watch BBC programmes I still have to pay the licence fee. Is it impossible to stop me viewing them. You have to pay to view Sky or BT fine. But you can't stop paying for BBC even if you want to.

I am 88 and was told about two weeks ago to start a monthly payment or the whole lot immediately. I can’t but hope the Government will rescind this. I am however not going to be silly and go to jail!

25Avalon

There is so much biased rubbish on BBC especially since they got rid of Andrew Kier who gave politicians from both sides a good rollicking. I hardly watch it now so won’t be renewing my licence unless it dramatically improves. I will watch tv you don’t need a licence for so won’t be breaking any laws.

If you a television in your home you need a licence Does not matter what stations you may or may not watch

If anyone is unhappy about this, they need to let their MP know; this was foisted on the BBC by the government. Many over 75s are comfortably off and able to pay the licence, and for those who do find the extra £3 or so per week a financial struggle; since when have the BBC been responsible for the poor state pensions paid? I agree with a previous poster who said that perhaps an annual tv licence paid for by the family would be a good Xmas gift for an elderly parent. Had my Mother still been alive, we would have done this, it would have been a useful gift for someone who really did not need anymore stuff!!

I'm not 75 yet,so I pay anyway.I've had a payment card for years now,I pay £5.75 every 2 weeks,at my local shop,I prefer this to a direct debit.It's not fair that people have to pay now,but there are ways of paying where you don't have to find the full amount in one go,which would be a struggle

Not had anything yet. If my husband died I’d be £2 a week over to claim PC. It’s a very low amount and being just over the limit means paying council tax too.

DeeDum I've been getting emails for months, telling me that my licence has expired; as my DH is 78, it's been free for a while, so I ignored them.
I have now had a letter and form from the BBC, which I filled in and sent back.

We had a free licence for a few months then got a letter in the post a couple of weeks ago informing us on methods of paying. I’ve chosen DD so they don’t get all the payment at once but there are many ways to pay.

Like another poster here, my mum got herself into a state over the loss of the free licence but she now gets a free licence as she gets PC.

By the way, I’ve been the recipient of many emails purportedly from the TV licence people but not one has been genuine. I’d ignore any emails unless you can satisfy yourself it’s genuine.

ExD

I got a reminder the other day. I'm 81 and had been enjoying free TV for several years.
I could happily watch what I need
on my desktop, but my husband couldn't manage without his football as background music while he sleeps in his chair!

If you watch BBC programmes on any device you need a licence.

I understood that the licence fee was about having a receiver not really about what you watch.

I think it's fair enough that those of us who can afford it should pay whatever our age.

I also think the same about prescriptions.

You don’t need a licence provided you don’t watch live programmes or BBC iPlayer. You can watch on demand tv, on demand movies, recorded films and programmes, and Utube.

I used to work at BBC for just over a year as a researcher. The pay of ordinary workers was not good but many work there because they enjoy it. I doubled my salary by moving into local government! My issue with the BBC Is the ridiculously high salaries paid to top presenters. I read that Gary Lineker earns 2 million and he is not the only overpaid people. I am 86 but I am too old to go to prison. I belong to Silver Voices who advocate paying monthly by cheque. Youshould fold the cheque into 4 as this hinders the administration The figment handling fee collection is Capita, not a company renowned for efficiency. I am in a dilemma because I have been away from UK since last November and will not return until late March 2021, so will not get their letter. I would like to inform them of you absence but cannot find any email address to contact them. If anyone has such an address I would appreciate knowing it. I do wish I could watch BBC iPlayer but it will not work here!

My husband is 76. We had our free licence for just over a year! Had the bill now new one last week!

Anniel the petty actions you recommend will have to be dealt with by people way down the pay scale, you will not be hitting out at Gary Lineker. As you will not be back in uk until March 2021, and will not be resident in the uk you will be able to apply online for your licence on your return. If anyone else is living in your UK property the renewal of the licence is their responsibility, even if they have been using your free over 75s licence while you have not been living there.

My lodger of 30 years, so more a friend now, persistently gets emails telling her that her licence is soon to expire and there will be a £1000 fine if she doesn't pay up "click this link immediately"! There is only one TV in the house - mine, which she watches with me and for which I pay the licence. All TV licence emails are a scam. Beware!