BBC Aged-Related TV Licence Consultation - have your say

NOT 3c. Many pensioners are only just above the threshold for pension credit etc and are struggling.

OPTION 1

By the age of 75 yrs you would have paid an enormous amount of money to the BBC, which is the only channel to charge a fee, and only being able to watch it a couple of hours a day when working . When you retire and have the time to sit and watch I think you have earned the right to do it for free.

One of the options in 3. The downside to 3c is that many older people who are struggling don't claim what they are entitled to, so would miss out again.

I may well be in the minority but I still love the BBC. The majority of the programmes we watch these days are still theirs, and I really appreciate them not being interrupted by adverts. Also, the BBC children's programming is vastly superior to some of the junk offered elsewhere - I'd hate to see it under threat.

3A as I think 3C would be cost prohibitive

I agree with scraping the license completely and make the BBC more cost effective like every other business.

I can choose to subscribe to Netflix etc. but I have no choice about paying a licence fee to the BBC whether I watch it or not. I think it is time to have a choice. If the BBC wants to continue with licence fees as a revenue then I want the option of opting out. I am happy to continue with ITV at no charge. As for adverts, I record programmes and whizz through them or use catch-up which often doesn’t have any.
3c may seem to be a fair choice but what about younger people on benefits who cannot afford the licence fee? They would have to get the concession as well.
IMHO, the BBC needs to take a radical look at how it is going forward with financing the service. Therefore, my choice would be to scrap the licence and raise revenue from advertising.

The BBC needs a major overhaul before any of this is decided.

I think that the fairest method would be to a) allow all pensioners on pension credit to continue to get it for free or b) Everyone pay but at a reduced rate - e.g. work out how many pensioners would be having to pay, together with the number of people who presently pay and dividing this figure into the total yearly revenue received at the moment. So this could reduce the annual license fee considerably I would think.

It's not only pensioners who have difficulty finding the money for the TV licence, I'm a gran but I see my children struggling to make ends meet while working long hours just to put food on the table for their children, is it really fair that we pensioners have all the help?

RustyBear your calculations are flawed in that a licence is required per household, not per person unless they are tenants in someone else's house.

If you are over 75 the reduced fee covers you and anyone you may live with. Check www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home for details.

3a or 3b

If the BBC paid reasonable salaries instead of the exorbitant sums currently paid it could reduce its losses

Option 1, or 3a or B
Many people just miss out on benefits but still struggle to manage. Many young people now don't buy a tv license, so the older population would be providing the most.
Many of the WASPI generation are already suffering hardship who knows how they will manage in ten years time.
Time the BBC learnt to budget like everyone else, if they manage to fund all the programmes in option 1 now without the £745m, why should not getting it in the future be a problem.

I would support keeping the 'free' licence but only for people in receipt of some other benefits. Another solution I have thought of would be introducing a filter for TVs that blocks BBC channels so that I wouldn't have to pay for something I don't use.

Keep it as it is, and cut the huge salaries of some of the people who work for the BBC, including the presenters of programmes. Why not include some advertising and making the whole thing free for all? We are accustomed to adverts on the other channels. My parents are both in their mid 90s, and, because they are less mobile than they used to be, they spend a lot of time watching TV, in common with many others of their age. It would be unfair, I think, to start charging them.

I think all older people should pay a reduced fee, it seems to be fairer.

I want to continue watching high quality tv as produced by the BBC.

I would NOT support anything that renders the beeb liable to take paid advertising. I watch mostly BBC tv; ITV rarely. I cannot stand the brainless adverts and dumbed down programmes. (Apart from Lewis and Midsomer Murders, obv. )

In principle I support 3c or adding the TV licence and WFA to the basic pension so it's covered.

I agree with Scribbles. The BBC should join the 21st century and not charge a fee at all. They show enough trailers etc that they may as well have advertisements. I don't think they are as good as they used to be anyway. They spend a lot of people's contributions in jollies for their staff. If they insist they couldn't run the service by commercial means, and I don't see why they couldnt, then they should leave things as they are, and continue free viewing for over 75s. The fee is a large amount to pay and people who have been exempt may not be able to start paying again.

Option 3

First, those who are currently exempt from paying the licence fee should remain so (and I am NOT in this category, so have no vested interest in retaining the status quo,)
Second, I would prefer a means-tested exemption for over 75s. I can afford to pay the licence fee but acknowledge that others are not in the same position. However, the cost of implementation may be prohibitive. Similarly, I think the winter fuel allowance should also be means tested ... repeat comment about implementation costs. However linking to pension credit could be a way forward.
Short answer .... 3c!

I actually agree with the respondent who said the licence fee should be scrapped I don't agree with overpaid executives and as regards their programming I have yet to watch anything that justifies their claims.

I am of the generation who grew up thinking that the pension would almost be enough to keep us! My husband and I both have very tiny private pensions, and when one of us dies the one remaining will find it very difficult to manage, and yet will not be eligible for benefits.

We have paid in all our lives and feel it is unfair that people of our age who have paid in so much money, fully expecting to get certain things should have them removed at this stage in our lives.

By all means take it off people who are yet to retire, or reduce the amount they pay, but we should not be expected to budget for them now that we are unable to earn.

I think the BBC is worth every single penny we pay for it. HVe you ever spoken to people in, for example, the US, Canada, Australia about it. Their own T. Is mostly appalling and all my friends there spent their viewing time on uk boxed sets - mostly by the BBC.
if it didn’t cost more than it saved I would say the over 75 licence should be means tested. There are lots of wealthy pensioners in the UK

I'm with you Blinko. I can't believe how many posters are happy to ruin public sector broadcasting with advertising. As I said previously, mindless advertising would ruin the BBC forever. You only have to look at the US to know that. The BBC is revered throughout the world and it's a shame people in this country cannot appreciate the value of non-commercial broadcasting and cough up a few paltry pounds to keep it that way.

I also believe that its programming should cater for minority interests as well as have mainstream offerings. Can't imagine anything worse than a diet of pap.

I reiterate that I am for keeping the concession for those in need.

3a, and stop paying such ridiculous salaries to “stars”.