Sir John Whittingdale, the former Conservative cabinet minister, said not prosecuting people over 75 for non-payment of the £174.50 fee is “unfair on those who do pay and sends a message to those who do not that nothing will happen to them”.
“The BBC licence fee is increasingly hard to justify. Having taken the decision to require those over 75 who are not on pension credit to pay the licence fee, the BBC are now not enforcing it,” Whittingdale told The i Paper.
Former Culture Secretary Sir John Whittingdale says the BBC licence fee is becoming increasingly hard to justify (Photo: Matthew Harwood/Getty)
The BBC ended universal free licences for over-75s in 2020 after the Government stopped funding the concession. Now, people in that age group are only eligible for free licences if they receive the pension credit benefit.
The data shows one person was prosecuted aged 76 for licence fee evasion last year, and a 77-year-old man was prosecuted in 2023. But in both cases, the offences may have been committed when the individuals were under 75, with the process – involving warning letters, house visits and finally court appearances – taking up to two years to result in a prosecution.
An example of a letter sent to older people who have not paid their TV licence fee
Ministers are set to discuss decriminalising non-payment of the licence fee as part of the Charter renewal negotiations, amid concern over the cost of prosecutions to taxpayers.
Silver Voices, which campaigns on behalf of older people, estimates there are around 250,000 over-75s who either cannot pay or are refusing to pay for their TV licence.
“We depend on TV far more to keep in touch with society and to combat isolation, loneliness and poor mental health.”
“When there is evidence that someone has avoided paying for a TV Licence when they need one, we have a duty to enforce the law, and this applies to everyone. In all cases, prosecution is a last resort.”
More than 3.6 million households where one person is over 75 have transitioned to paying for their licence since 2020.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been contacted for comment.
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