A campaign calling for free television licences for all UK pensioners has gained momentum, forcing the government to respond. The petition on the Parliament website has surpassed 10,000 signatures, meaning the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is now obliged to issue an official reply.
The standard TV licence fee rose to £180 per year in 2024, with a black-and-white licence costing £60.50. Currently, only those aged 75 or over and in receipt of Pension Credit qualify for a free licence. Universal free licences for 3.7 million over-75s were scrapped in July 2020, with the BBC citing 'unprecedented closures' as a reason.
The petition argues that many pensioners live on the breadline and rely on television for company, while soaring food and utility costs make the fee a burden. It calls for state-funded free licences for all who have reached retirement age, criticising the means-tested exemption as a 'double outrage'.
The government's response comes amid a review of the BBC's Royal Charter and its funding model. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has described the licence fee as 'unenforceable' and 'insufficient'. The BBC has indicated openness to 'radical options' for future funding, and its new director-general has warned of 'difficult choices' ahead, including 2,000 job cuts over three years.
Former Google executive Matt Brittin, now at the BBC, said the corporation must adapt to digital consumption and make efficiency choices. He emphasised trust in journalists but noted the need to 'reinvent this institution' for the modern world.
