A petition calling for all pensioners to get free TV licences has garnered more than 2,000 online signatures. The petition argues that people over the age of 66 “should receive a state-financed free TV licence” because many of them are living “on the breadline with only the TV for company”. As it stands only pensioners over the age of 75 and on Pension Credit are eligible for a free TV licence.
This comes as 300,000 more Brits have stopped paying their TV licence, at a cost of £50million to the BBC. According to the BBC’s annual report, 23.8m licences were paid at the end of the year, down from 24.1m in 2023-24.
Michael Thompson, who started the petition, wrote: “We want the Government to fund free TV licences for existing pensioners and those who reach the official retirement age. When people reach retirement age, we think they should receive a state-financed free TV licence.
“Many pensioners live on the breadline with only the TV for company. With the cost of food soaring and utility bills ever higher, we feel there is a desperate need to provide all pensioners with at least this concession.
“We feel it is a double outrage that those who have given their all to this country in taxes and raising children have to pay a TV licence fee and are only exempt if they receive means-tested Pension Credit. Meanwhile, some media figures draw huge salaries.”
So far, 2,864 people have signed the petition – which will run until December 11. If it gains 10,000 signatures, the Government will respond to it, and if it surpasses 100,000 it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
This comes as BBC bosses and the Government have started discussing the future of the corporation and its funding model, as part of the process to renew its charter. Both parties have suggested changes to the licence fee. But BBC senior executives have tried to rule out moving to an ad-based subscription model, used by its digital competitors.