BBC License new liability for most over 75's

GillT57 The Silver Voices group are recommending the cheque idea snd they are trying to stop the imposition to pay. I only mentioned Gary Lineker rbecause he is always quoted in the press. Salaries for media presenters are overly high in my opinion. My property is not occupied so there is nobody there to break the law. If only BBC could find a way of offering a fee paid service for overseas subscribers they would have great success but i think it is a legal intellectual property problem that stops them doing it.

I received my information about three weeks ago, now paying by annual DD. (Have had free licence for eighteen months). My paper licence arrived this morning.

I don't think the BBC is a national service any more, definitely agree with Avalon's 'biased rubbish' opinion. I'd add preachy and dumbing-down too. The government said they were considering decriminalising non-payment of the TV licence. As it hasn't happened yet, I guess they've been too busy. I think the fee for BBC should be like Sky or BT - you elect to pay for the channels if you want them instead of a compulsory fee. Maybe then they would be more in tune with their viewers. At the moment I would happily give up the BBC, which is such a shame when I remember tuning in to the BBC World Service from wherever we were in the world to get a factual account of the news. It appears that some internet programmes now have higher viewing figures than some BBC programmes. I think many people will opt not to watch TV if they have to pay a licence fee again.

My mum is 91 in October and has had a free licence since my late Dad became 75 over 21 years ago. She is more than upset that she now will have to pay. She is housebound and has no computer etc, nor a post office in her village. She only has a very basic pension (about (£120 per week I think) and her small savings earn no interest as the rate is well under 1% these days. She isn’t eligible for PC so has to pay £121 per month Council Tax. so I’m at a loss as to how she is expected to afford the £157.50 she will have to pay.
Even worse, I read on Friday that the BBC will pay the dreaded Capita £100 million pounds to chase all the aged non-payers. Surely this would be enough money to continue giving free TV licences to all OAPs rather than lining the pockets of the very wealthy Capita?
See www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8652315/BBC-spend-100million-chasing-TV-licence-fees.html

Before my mother's letter arrived I looked up the website and it said to wait till you get a letter. Definitely letter not email so beware anyone responding to an email. The forms said you have 2 months to pay so no one should panic immediately. After paying I got an email saying the payment had been accepted and licence will follow in a few days.
Thank you for your comment Icanhandthemback. Mum was an avid reader and has not adapted to being visually impaired at all though she is very grateful for all the aids from RNIB and the audiobooks they provide. Also Lothian Sound who send USB recordings of local news. She has to sit about a foot away from the TV to see anything and finds everything dark however she does enjoy her favourite shows and programmes about the arts so it is worth it for her.

I don’t mind paying. I always felt a bit guilty getting it free when I could afford to pay. I know people who donated the equivalent money to good causes. I watch more BBC than anything else, and also listen to Radio 3 and Radio 4.

I don’t even have a television but needed a licence to use iPlayer until my 75th birthday at the New Year. I went on paying by direct debit until we knew free licences would end in August.
I’ve applied for a refund of payments from my birthday until August but haven’t heard anything. They probably have a huge backlog of work.

Smurf44 I’m pretty sure your mum will be entitled to Pension Credit if she’s only getting £120 a week pension.

Could you look into it for her, or is she one of those fiercely independent people like my mum?

Mum had her letter, we paid it online with money taken out on 27th August I think. As she has grumbled since that her favourite tv programmes are currently off air, she should have a rebate !

I've had three spam emails asking for payment. They are coming from a BTInternet address. Delete them. I sent two to the TV licence phishing site - they have 2,330,000 spam emails to deal with!

nipsmum said - 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.

You do realise you are not being charged simply for owning a TV? When you go to the cinema do you object to paying to see the film? You really expect to get all your BBC TV and radio entertainment for nothing?

Smurf44 - the basic state pension is now £175.20p per week. If for any reason your Mum is receiving less than that - it should be looked into - and if that is the case then she would be, most definitely, entitled to Pension Credit which would 'top up' what she receives to that amount.
Perhaps you need to talk to her to find out why she is missing out on this help.

The BBC is the envy of the world and I would pay double to receive it. Of course it has made some lousy programmes but has anyone ever watched TV in America/Canada/Australia? Friends I have there spend most of their time watching BBC box sets! As far as its “bias” is concerned, it has always been the case that some people have shrieked left wing bias and an equal number right wing bias which suggests to me that it must be fairly balanced.

Nvella, do wish we had some sort of LIKE button on here. So agree with your post in every way. Thank you.

another hear hear from me for your comment Nvella. Anyone who grumbles about BBC need only spend an evening watching the biased, advertiser led rubbish that is spewed out of USA Tv most evenings. I know that the BBC isn't perfect, but do we really want some Murdoch funded bile on our tv every night?