BBC and Government delay Over-75s TV Licence changes

pphillips

The question is whether there is a public interest in prosecuting the over 75's for non payment of the TV licence. Understandably, these prosecutions will be an extremely unpopular way to spend taxpayer's money. I don't think that the BBC have really thought this through.

Cornucopia

It has now been confirmed that the Over-75s changes will be delayed until at least 1 August.  

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home/aged-74-and-over-aud3

Cornucopia

pphillips said:

The question is whether there is a public interest in prosecuting the over 75's for non payment of the TV licence. Understandably, these prosecutions will be an extremely unpopular way to spend taxpayer's money. I don't think that the BBC have really thought this through.

The BBC received a toothless mauling on this in the DCMS Parliamentary Committee last month by a group of frustratingly supine MPs.    I suppose we should be used to the Powers That Be dancing on the head of a pin in their attempts not to accept the realistic implications of the things they are saying, but this was a master-class in that.   They also came pretty close to misleading Parliament (which is an offence, I understand).   

(Their figures for Households and Licences were woefully out of date, and their claim that "6-7%" of evaders are taken to Court is meaningless and misleading). 

https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/51892c6e-4e3c-415a-a5ac-003f73e5043f

The upshot was that taking over-75s to Court would be an absolute last resort (but then they say that about Evaders generally, now).

pphillips

Cornucopia said:

pphillips said:

The question is whether there is a public interest in prosecuting the over 75's for non payment of the TV licence. Understandably, these prosecutions will be an extremely unpopular way to spend taxpayer's money. I don't think that the BBC have really thought this through.

The BBC received a toothless mauling on this in the DCMS Parliamentary Committee last month by a group of frustratingly supine MPs.    I suppose we should be used to the Powers That Be dancing on the head of a pin in their attempts not to accept the realistic implications of the things they are saying, but this was a master-class in that.   They also came pretty close to misleading Parliament (which is an offence, I understand).   

(Their figures for Households and Licences were woefully out of date, and their claim that "6-7%" of evaders are taken to Court is meaningless and misleading). 

https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/51892c6e-4e3c-415a-a5ac-003f73e5043f

The upshot was that taking over-75s to Court would be an absolute last resort (but then they say that about Evaders generally, now).

Perhaps the highlight was when SNP MP John Nicolson told Lord Hall: “You could be in the bizarre position of sending news teams to cover 90-year-olds potentially in court for non-payment of TV licences because of a system you signed up to.”