BBC and Government delay Over-75s TV Licence changes

Cornucopia

The BBC and DCMS have announced today that as a consequence of Coronavirus, the planned 1 June 2020 changes to Over-75s will be delayed.   A potential date of 1 August has been mentioned.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51911065

brewerdave

A bit miserly to only delay by 2 months in the current circumstances!

[Deleted User]

brewerdave said:

A bit miserly to only delay by 2 months in the current circumstances!

Just like the month-long Premier League suspension, this will be open to further review/ extension...

silverwhistle

Will they also suspend enforcement visits? :-)   I don't have and have never had a colour TV so it's not an issue, but I'd be unaccustomedly rude if a visit should happen now..

Farway

silverwhistle said:

Will they also suspend enforcement visits? :-)   I don't have and have never had a colour TV so it's not an issue, but I'd be unaccustomedly rude if a visit should happen now..

Just cough as you open the door, should fix it sharpish 

[Deleted User]

silverwhistle said:

Will they also suspend enforcement visits? :-)   I don't have and have never had a colour TV so it's not an issue, but I'd be unaccustomedly rude if a visit should happen now..

Invite them in to see for themselves.  Why be rude to people ?.
I used to deliver TV licence reminders and had many people inviting me in as proof that they don t possess a TV , colour or not ,of which I nearly always refused   .You have to admit though that in these very stressful  times we re all living through today those who pay for their TV licences are  getting terrific value  holed up indoors all day  ..Not very  much in the way of important live daily updates  on the  Corona Virus news on Netflix /amazon Prime lol .. Your old Black and White TV is hanging on despite all its failing capacitors , relays , resistors .They must have had better made electronics in those days.
If you do feel the need to splash out a state of a new "colour " TV then go for a 55 inch OLED made by LG for the best TV screen in the world ..
No pockets in shrouds etc 
All meter reading involving face to face doorstep visits have  been suspended in the two main companies I know of . MDS and Eon have laid all staff off apart from a few volunteers to service failing prepayment meters which need a visit so I would expect that the Capita employees are all following ..Not essential work 

pphillips

There is a public perception that the enforcers abuse their power by frightening people into buying a TV Licence unnecessary or to stitch up vulnerable people for an offence they might not have committed.

I don't wish to receive constant rolling TV news updates on Corona virus and all this bad news trying to invade our homes can't be doing any good to people's mental health during a period of self isolation.

silverwhistle

Houbara, did you actually read and understand my comment? I said 'if a visit should happen now'  You do appreciate the significance of what is going on at the morning, and the import of unwanted and unknown people coming to your door, and hence the word 'unaccustomedly'?

I don't _want_ an effing TV. The B&W one gave up the ghost in 1988 and after a short period I found I didn't need one. I don't need one _NOW_, I can't even get through all the books I've got let alone streaming Netflix or whatever. I could go out and buy the sodding thing with cash if I needed to, so it really isn't a pocket in shrouds situation. Can you not get it into your head that there are many people who have no desire for a TV, so I really don't appreciate your snide insinuations.

Cornucopia

The fundamental point is that people have a right to privacy in their own homes.   That's an important fundamental right, even more so in the present crisis.    There's also no obligation to speak with TV Licensing, or give them any information.   Again, in the context of criminal investigation and interview that right is important and fundamental.

I don't suppose we should be that critical of those members of the public who don't quite understand those rights, or appreciate their importance, because BBC/TV Licensing don't appear to understand it either - and they are way, way down the road of "should know better".  

[Deleted User]

silverwhistle said:

I don't _want_ an effing TV. The B&W one gave up the ghost in 1988 and after a short period I found I didn't need one. I don't need one _NOW_, I can't even get through all the books I've got let alone streaming Netflix or whatever. I could go out and buy the sodding thing with cash if I needed to, so it really isn't a pocket in shrouds situation. Can you not get it into your head that there are many people who have no desire for a TV, so I really don't appreciate your snide insinuations.

I think you'd have received a different response if you'd have made it plain you don't actually have a TV at all rather than simply saying you don't have a colour set. I also don't think the response you got was in any way "snide". 

On the subject of visitations from TV Licensing enforcement officers, I think you'll have to accept that you are in a tiny minority who have no TV set and behave accordingly.

 In the very unlikely event you receive a visit from said people during  the current crisis you should simply and politely turn them away while maintaining social distancing . No point getting upset about something which will not happen anyway.   

Cornucopia

The BBC has confirmed to the Daily Mail that both TVL visits and the majority of letters ceased on 21 March as a consequence of the CV crisis.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8169369/TV-licence-amnesty-Inspection-officers-stop-prosecutions-home-visits-lockdown.html

Moneyineptitude said:

silverwhistle said:

I don't _want_ an effing TV. The B&W one gave up the ghost in 1988 and after a short period I found I didn't need one. I don't need one _NOW_, I can't even get through all the books I've got let alone streaming Netflix or whatever. I could go out and buy the sodding thing with cash if I needed to, so it really isn't a pocket in shrouds situation. Can you not get it into your head that there are many people who have no desire for a TV, so I really don't appreciate your snide insinuations.

On the subject of visitations from TV Licensing enforcement officers, I think you'll have to accept that you are in a tiny minority who have no TV set and behave accordingly.

The only thing is that pretty much all the rights in the matter are on the householder's side. That the BBC see fit to operate TV Licensing in the confrontational way that they do in the face of those rights is really the beginning and the end of the issues (well, the end of it for members of the public that are not having their credulity exploited - and that's before we get into the question of the BBC's apparently warped understanding of the concept of "rights").

Even if I had a TV Licence, I would not want the BBC to operate TV Licensing on the basis of exploitation of the Public's credulity or the routine breach of the fundamental right to privacy in one's own home.

Maybe I am in a small minority in that (being a liberal and a libertarian), but I stand by the notion that the BBC are on the wrong side of this issue. My hope is that the current cessation of TVL hostilities will extend indefinitely. I am open to pretty much any alternative funding method for the BBC in its absence.