Should Free Tv Licences For The Over 75 Be Scrapped?

[Gromit]

Free TV licences were introduced by Gordon Brown, largely as a bribe to get the grey vote. The new Government has decided it does not want to pay for this anymore, so the cost, £650million will now be met by the BBC. In effect money which would go to making programmes is now to be diverted to subsidising pensioners.

Rather a neat trick by The Government, not cutting the subsidy which would be unpopular, but deciding not to fund the subsidy themselves.

Is it time to do away with Gordon's old bribe? Is it not a con that money we all pay to fund the BBC is now being diverted to fund lucences for old people. Or perhaps National Lottery money could be used instead of cutting programming money.

[jourdain2]

Mr. J2 is 82, we are not wealthy and not to have to pay a licence fee is a blessed relief. These days we have to pay for broadband access as well, it has become an essential (never mind being able to chat with you lot) in living. 20 years ago this was not the case, more and more is being made available only on line.

A free licence plus the fortnightly mobile library is just Heaven for us. £145 is well over what I get from my O.A. P. per week. (I paid married woman's allowance for years, as you did in those days). Seriously, it would be difficult to find it. However, I prefer radio! :)

[askyourgran]

I have the feeling that the BBC in all it's forms including radio are the people for whom the Licence fee is paid. Why therefore are the other channels paid in revenur through advertising. MrA has BBC sport free because I get it through my broadband connection, otherwise he would have to pay.

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/what-does-your-licence-fee-pay-for-top13

[seadogg]

BBC programmes are always being panned by folk who say, "there's nothing on," yet many are repeated ad lib on many commercial freeview stations.
We would gladly pay our share to the BBC if only to continue to avoid the increasing length of commercial "breaks".

[trt]

## MrA has BBC sport free because I get it through my broadband connection, otherwise he would have to pay. ##

Very true MrsA. The BBC cant match my package with Sky but keep on sending me e-mails as I have BBC sports, and its free if you have broadband.

Now its going up to £19.99 a month in August.