TV Licence: Head of Silver Voices hits out at cost for pensioners

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A person from Bolton only calling themselves “CG” wrote into The Daily Telegraph’s “consumer champion” Sally Hamilton to complain of the issues they were experiencing with the TV Licensing Authority and thus the BBC. The writer said they had completed the relevant forms for their 90-year-old mother for her TV licence arranged monthly direct debit payments and posted the details, only for the OAP to reveal she was in receipt of pension credit.

Rules now state anyone on this benefit over the age of 75 should not have to pay for the licence fee, so the person sent all the relevant details and was told it would be “sorted out”.

They had been warned the first payment would likely be taken – as it was on December 1, 2020, but would be refunded.

However, they wrote claimed a second payment was then taken four weeks later on January 1 and although they were told this would be sorted in four weeks, another payment was taken after that period.

The person was told that due to the Covid pandemic, refunds were taking longer to process and it would take a further four weeks to resolve the issue, but further payments were taken in March and April.

Later that month, two of the payments had been refunded but the complainant claimed they have had to frequently phone the TV Licensing Authority to chase the remaining owed monies.

They wrote: “The BBC switched off my 90-year-old mother’s TV licence refund.

“As predicted, the first payment of £19.68 was taken on December 1 2020. But then a second payment was taken on January 2.

“When I phoned I was told it would be sorted in four weeks. But four weeks later another payment was taken.

“I phoned again and was told, due to Covid, the refunds were taking longer and it would be another four weeks.

“Payments continued to be taken in February, March and April, and each time I would phone and get the same answer that it would be four more weeks.

“Finally, in April, two of the payments were refunded. Since then I have phoned every few weeks to chase what is owed. The last person I spoke to said I had to be patient.

“Just under £60 may not sound much, but to a 90-year-old on pension credit it is a lot of money.”

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This sparked a furious reaction from “consumer champion” Sally Hamilton, who launched a furious attack over the way the BBC had treated the complainant.

She made reference to reports the broadcaster is apparently planning to send out agents in the autumn as part of attempts to pressure those over 75 who are required to pay for their TV licence but have so far not done so.

The consumer expert added that although some refunds had been made, they are usually made far more quickly and are available in several circumstances”.

Sally Hamilton replied: “I felt miffed on your behalf that the Beeb, which is responsible for overseeing TV licensing, had the cheek to tell you to be patient after you had already spent several months chasing your mother’s refund.

“This is the organisation that is itself so impatient, it is apparently planning to send out agents in the autumn to hurry along individuals over 75 who are required to pay for their TV licence but have so far not done so.

“They are hit by the same rule change made last summer that affected your mother: over-75s who previously got their licence free must now pay £159 unless they are in receipt of pension credit.

“This is a benefit for people on low incomes who have reached retirement age and comes on top of their state pension.

“When you found out, belatedly, that your mother receives pension credit you naturally wanted to stop the ­payments.

“I asked the BBC to investigate what had gone wrong. Within a few days the mix-up, apparently caused by human error, was resolved and the £60 repaid.

“The broadcaster sent a letter of apology to your mother along with a £30 goodwill payment.”

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