BBC faces backlash as it is accused of ‘bullying’ thousands of Brits: ‘Put an end to this farce’

BBC is accused of repeatedly sending ‘threatening’ letters to the most vulnerable group of the population - people over 75s - who resist paying the £159 TV licence fee.

The cost was introduced in 2020 and came as a shock for many struggling pensioners.

Campaigners from the Silver Voices call for BBC to ‘put an end to this farce’ and stop ‘bullying’ the 350,000 elderly Brits who could have left the media giant £143 million short over the past three years.

BBC claims these numbers are ‘completely erroneous’ and denies any wrongdoing.

The tricky situation raises a wider debate over the future of TV licencesin Britain.

Meanwhile, thousands can be eligible for a refund on their TV licence, here is how to claim it.

BBC accused of sending ‘threatening’ letters to the elderly

Figures indicate that around 350,000 older people could be avoiding paying the annual £159 TV licence fee.

The service used to be free to the over-75s until the BBC introduced the charge in 2020.

Campaigners from the Silver Voices are accusing the media giant of ‘bullying’ those most vulnerable who resist the bill by repeatedly hounding them with ‘threatening’ letters.

One of the rebels against the scrapping of the freebie has reportedly received a staggering 28 enforcement letters.

Dennis Reed, director of the Silver Voices, called on BBC director-general Tim Davie to ‘put an end to this farce’.

He said:

The BBC continues to waste millions of reams of paper threatening dire action against the refuseniks, when it knows that it cannot prosecute any over-75s because of the political storm it would create.

A touch of realism and honesty from Mr Davie would be welcome to put an end to this farce…

Reed called the implementation of the ‘cruel policy’ of scrapping free TV for senior citizens ‘a travesty’.

Numbers show that the proportion of viewers failing to pay their licence went up by 1.35% in 2021 - 2022. The main reason for the jump was the cancellation of the free service for over-75s.

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BBC: campaigners' numbers and claims are 'erroneous'

BBC ran into heavy criticism after their decision to scrap free TV licences for most over-75s in August 2020.

According to the new rules, only those in that age bracket who receive the pension credit benefit are eligible to tune in without paying.

It has been calculated that when the BBC ended its licence fee grace period for over-75s in July 2021, 260,000 pensioners ended up with a bill.

Reed believes that the media corporation has been running a deficit of £143 million as a result of the pensioners’ revolt over the past three years.

But BBC’s Director of Revenue Management, Pipa Doubtfire, called these numbers and 350,000 non-payment figure ‘completely erroneous’.

A TV Licensing spokesperson said:

More than 9 in 10 over-75s have made arrangements for a free or paid-for licence, or updated us on a change in their circumstances, in line with the broader population.

We are also helping people in need of extra support to remain correctly licensed, with advice and payment plans to help spread the cost of a licence which is frozen until 2024.

The BBC pays for more than 947,000 free licences for over-75s who are on Pension Credit and eligible over-75s living in an Accommodation for Residential Care scheme, whether or not they receive Pension Credit.

So far, no prosecutions against older people who previously held a free licence have been authorised.

Reed warned that the BBC’s ‘bullying’ tactics risk ‘poisoning’ public opinion in the wider debate over the future of the TV licence.

He called for the corporation to ‘reconvene discussions with the Government and Silver Voices to find a constructive solution’.

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Sources used:

- Express: ''Bully' BBC ordered to end TV licence 'farce' as pensioner revolt leaves £143m black hole'