Ken Bruce bids farewell to BBC colleague

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From July 31, the BBC now requires those over 75-years-old to pay a £159 annual licence fee, despite it previously being free for those that age. Reports claimed the corporation will send licence enforcers to demand payment, with around a quarter of a million refusing to pay.

The BBC has instructed Capita, the firm responsible for enforcing the licensing fee, to contact the homes of over 260,000 pensioners in the UK who are being forced to pay up.

Capita will undertake thousands of “customer care visits” to the homes of pensioners throughout the month, after a written warning stating it is a legal requirement to have a valid television licence.

Individuals could face a £1,000 fine if it has been found that they have been watching, recording or downloading programmes illegally, or even be given jail time.

If someone refuses to let a TV licence inspector into their home, they will likely get a court order which will allow them to enter that person’s home without their consent.

In response, over-75’s have written to The Financial Mail on Sunday to voice their anger over the plans.

Ian Barratt, 78 from Maldon in Essex, who is receiving treatment for cancer, says: “We must stand up to the BBC bullies.

“I am so incensed by its arrogant attitude towards pensioners. I am one of the lucky ones because I can pay.

“But I am not going to surrender without putting up an almighty fight.

“No one bothered to consult people like me. They can throw me in jail if they wish.”

Roy Hubbarde, 76 from Anstey in Leicestershire, told the outlet he is unimpressed by the way the BBC is trying to hide the true purpose of the home visits.

He says: “Why are they describing someone knocking on my door demanding my cash as a ‘customer care visit’?

“There is something rather sinister and Orwellian about this BBC approach.”

Christopher Roberts, 80 from Northampton, also said: “The BBC has gone back on a promise.

“The problem is the broadcaster likes to spend the £3.5billion it gets from licence fees each year like water.

“Rather than wasting cash on non-jobs and gameshow prizes, it should budget more carefully.”

The Intergenerational Foundation supported scrapping universal free TV licences for older people, saying it is fair to younger people.

Liz Emerson, the co-founder of the charity, said: “Younger, poorer generations have been cross-subsidising older, wealthier generations – and we believe that to be intergenerationally unfair.

“What Covid-19 has shown us is that the younger generation have lost their jobs, their homes, their mental health in order to protect the health of older generations.

“Those people that have had regular incomes have actually fared pretty well economically in the pandemic and those are people on pensions, whether that’s a private pension or the state pension.

“If you’ve got a regular income coming in and you’re not able to go out and spend that money, actually loads of households have seen their savings increase during the pandemic.”

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