Over 75s can voluntarily pay TV licence

I have been paying the BBC for 54 years since I had my own home at 18. I am still working part time and don't earn enough to pay income tax now but have paid buckets of it throughout my life. The TV licence is just another tax, like all the others: driving licences, passports, car tax, etc, except that it goes directly to the BBC to pay for ever decreasing quality programmes and huge wages for mediocre 'star' broadcasters.

So yes, Starwell. I echo everything you say. In 3 years I will qualify (my man being younger than me) and we will no longer pay the licence fee.

Whoopee!

I too agree with starwell, whose comments are spot on!

Thee BBC is not an arm of the state and so providing a state benefit is wrong. It is the job of government.

We pay for two licences each year and I never watch live TV. The quality of BBC programmes leaves a lot to be desired so when my time comes I will take the free licence.

I agree absolutely with Starwell. Nothing more to add!

My husband qualified for the free TV licence last year so yes, we have taken advantage of it.
When the BBC have millions to throw at such people as Jonathon Ross, Russell Brand, etc. they can 'go to hell' getting any of my pension.
We're far from being wealthy - in fact live on one pension and use the other for holidays and treats.
Both of us have worked hard all our lives and no-one has given us anything extra. We've saved for our retirement but what little we do have we get a pitiful return in investment.
Therefore, I feel quite justified claiming the 'free' tv licence and I do use the bus pass occasionally too.

This will sound so mean but it's how I feel. I was a young mum, married at 18, child at 19 and had to work full time to make ends meet. So throughout the past 40 years, have battled with (then) senior citizens with free bus passes to get on a bus to work. (It was with relief that new regulations later degreed that senior citizens could not use their passes until after 9.30am). No tax relief credits for me to pay for child care, no benefits for us and it has been hard work. There are various other issues that I won't bore you with, but now I am drawing my pension feel I am entitled to the benefits of old age that I have contributed to throughout my working life. So it's my turn now.

I won't offer to pay for my licence fee when the time comes because in the meantime I will be charged for other BBC services I use that are currently free.

From what I understand, the cost of the free tv licences will come out of the taxpayer pockets through BBC charges for services that are currently free. So it's not really a free tv licence.

Yes, agree about taxing the perks- I used the 'means testing' words wrongly- what I meant is that those who can pay, should. I'd just hate the BBC to have to resort to constant advertising like other commercial channels.

I don't know - I will reach that age in 6 months and I suspect I will forget to apply. As annodomini says why do we become unable to afford the licence at 75.
Means testing worries me - what do 'they' consider the level at which to make the cut-off point. Taxing the perks sounds a good idea.

I went for over a year without television a couple of years ago, because my model gave up, and I watched some programs on my computer, catch up system. I could do the same again if necessary, I am very choosy what I watch anyway, never watch the soaps. If the status quo changed for over 75 year old pensioners who were expecting to have licence free viewing and they could not afford to pay, a good many will lose the voice and interesting programmes that they enjoy, it is company for a good many of them. As for bus passes, I would certainly miss the help of that, it supports my shopping outings for groceries and supplies; and gives me the added benefit of communicating with others. Sincerely, Margaret.

The cost of these licences could easily be covered if the BBC reduced some of the grossly inflated salaries paid to a lot of the senior staff and so called 'celebrities'!

I would prefer annsixty's solution: to tax the amount. That way higher income pensioners (and there are many of them) would have it added to their tax bill and it wouldn't cost anything in extra admin.

I don't have a TV, so won't benefit from it either way!

Oh no! I've waited years for my free licence.

I'm not giving it up. Some good's gotta come out of this sodding ageing lark.

We will not pay for ours or give up other concessions but would be more than happy for it to be treated as income and thus taxed.

I've always wondered why at 74 I should be deemed able to afford my TV licence and at 75 suddenly to be given it as a concession. By the time the BBC takes over the concessionary licence, I shall have been in receipt of it for three years and therefore probably reluctant to give it up.

I'd go on paying for the TV licence. Also, before the national bus pass scheme came in, we had bus passes in this area for students, children and pensioners (I think also for people on benefits). It was a flat rate 50p for any journey. I'm sure most people would accept that. And what about prescription charges? I think grumppa's idea makes a lot of sense.

Ceesnan- you'd be surprised ....

Not £75 - I meant the actual licence fee!

No need to means test; just treat the £75 as taxable income. For some it would be tax free, for others it would be taxed at the basic rate, and for others at the higher rate. The same could be done with the winter fuel allowance. Bus passes are more difficult as they are also a transport subsidy; and records would have to be kept of how much they are used by individual pensioners.

I can't believe the BBC is asking over-75s to buy their own tv licences so it doesn't have to!

No more means testing please "granjura". It is so expensive. Increase the pension by all the Universal Benefits and work towards a living pension - somewhere between £10,000 and £12,000 a year. Everyone on taxes will then pay tax on the additional amounts recouping large amounts and also recouping the cost of administering all these benefits.

We have a Sky contract , why can the licence fee not be taken from it ? Sky would hardly notice

Gosh,granjura I don't think there are many pensioners with an income of £50,000!