Backdated TV licence refunds for over 75's

Cornucopia

I wonder if this change is something that could be raised with MSE towers, as it could clearly do with publicising?

Torson

JSmithy45AD:

The downloadable license (now I've registered online) doesn't mention it.

Yes, this is the situation that I am in. Paying by DD for years, not aware of free or pension credit advice in email licence delivery. 

Torson

I’ve asked TV licencing exactly where is the refund legislation. I won’t be shutting up and going away.

Three years ago Haringey Council fined me £390 (3 tickets) for parking in a school street where I live and already had a residents permit. Except I didn’t also have the virtual reality exemption permit because no pre-warning post was hand delivered by the council to our building as there is no letterbox. I received five in all, got two cancelled, and lost three at tribunal. 

After that I started a driver warning campaign at another school road which was also on a busy cut-through route. Over the four months before it turned into an LTN, we stopped some 6028 drivers from getting tickets, depriving the council of £392k if paid early, amusingly enough, a thousand times more what they fined me. 

They even sent council people down to find out why they were hardly raking in any money. I offered them a deal, refund my fines and I’ll go away. They didn’t and I didn’t. 

Checkout FB group School Street Watch. We had a great time there on the street, getting our own back. I have treasured lifetime memories incorporating a mix of sad, angry, humorous, and unregistered flouting drivers that we came across.

Torson

I’m getting somewhere now. Will be planning my next move, or if there’s other advice on how to draught a response, please comment. 

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/legislation-and-policy-AB9

3. TV Licence is bought in error

Refunds can be given in respect of licences which are bought as a result of an error by the customer, usually because the licence holder does not require the type of licence they have bought. For example, if they have bought a licence when there is already one in place at the address. If the licence was bought in error as a result of advice given by TV Licensing, the customer can claim up to six years' worth of refund.

iniltous

You may well gave bought a license in error , that’s not in doubt , 

If the licence was bought in error as a result of advice given by TV Licensing, the customer can claim up to six years' worth of refund.

I don’t see how you can assert that TVL advised you to buy a license that wasn’t required, your entire argument is ‘I didn’t know , you didn’t tell me ‘ ,their argument is this exemption is widely known and published and it’s not up-to them to identify those that qualify but the applicant themselves.
TBH , I doubt the small claims court is going to rule in your favour on this , the precedent would have massive implications way above the authority of that court , if this  ‘injustice’ as you see it , is as widespread as you believe I’m surprised one the ambulance chasing legal firms  haven’t already raised a class action case that you could join , that would be the more usual legal route than a small claims court application …if there isn’t a class action case , that  would suggest they don’t fancy their chances of successful prosecution 

sheramber

There was also complaints in the press etc about the free licence for all over 75s being stopped in August 2920 , when it was changed to having to be in receipt of pension credit. 

Torson

I've got some interesting figures on pension credit licences from BBC accounts from 2020 to 2025.

1) According to the BBC's own figures of potential free licence cost at £250m a year, that's £1250m over 2020-2025. A rough divide of £150 per licence equates to 1.66m eligible people a year. 8.33m over 5 years.

2) Free licences given over 5 years were roughly 5.33m. There were 3m unclaimed licences at a saving of £450m to the BBC. At this moment I have no way of knowing how many of these were people like myself (3 years) and Mr Barlow's father overpaying by 5 years, paying by Direc Debit.

3) In other statements from the BBC, they said they would refund up to 6 years cost for claims where advice was given in error.

4) There is plenty of information and advice on the TV licencing website about claiming at 75 plus for new claimants, and those who pay in one-off amounts each year for paper licences or by email.

5) As I stated previously, if you pay by Direct Debit, there is no information or advice in the online email and on the online licence about claiming for free licences.

6) The BBC went through the motions of informing and advising as many people as possible. But they overlooked by design or accident, the DD payers. This situation would never had occurred if emails sent to DD payers with their online licence had mentioned the possiblity of free licences.

7) If I had a free barrister's advice at my disposal, I am sure they would find an angle that no advice given to millions of customers was an error, and therefore claimable for up to 6 years worth of refunds.

8) I am free to receive such advice on behalf of millions of other customers to pursue a test case in small claims court that could set a precedent for refunds if successful.

Torson

I have started an FB group: Pension Credit TV Licence Overpayment Refund Scandal. This will serve replies from people who were unaware or fobbed off by TVL.

Torson

This has gone to the BBC ombudsman:

The initial query is regarding overpayment at age 75, 76 and 77. I am now 78.

I have paid by Direct Debit for years, since before 2018.

Every year I receive my TV licence by email.

There has never been any inclusion in the emails of pre-notification to have exempt status if on Pension Credit at age 75.

I have since read on your website that existing free TV licence holders from 2000 were informed by post that the rules were changing.

As I was not a free TV licence holder at that time, I received no letter.

As I paid by Direct Debit, I would have had no reason to go to your website over the years, as any changes could and should have easily been conveyed through email.

BBC/TVL advised customers everywhere they thought possible to get their message across about claiming if on Pension Credit at 75.

However, If you became 75 during 2020-2025 paying by Direct Debit., you received no such advice.

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/legislation-and-policy-AB9

3. TV Licence is bought in error

Refunds can be given in respect of licences which are bought as a result of an error by the customer, usually because the licence holder does not require the type of licence they have bought. For example, if they have bought a licence when there is already one in place at the address. If the licence was bought in error as a result of advice given by TV Licensing, the customer can claim up to six years' worth of refund.

I bought my licences in error of no pension credit advice being given (that was freely given to everyone else) which would have been very easy to do through email communication every year I received my licence. 

If I had received email pension credit advice every year, I would not have overpaid. This was an oversight by BBC/TVL

 

I have overpaid by £487.50 plus £60 in DD charges. 

I am claiming a refund of £547.50.

Kim_13

Does the Pension Credit letter not say that you should check what services you may be entitled to (or something to that effect?)