BBC scrapping (for some) the free TV licence

About time they scrapped the licence fee. BBC no longer fills a major role in society like when we only had four channels and it is time they cut back massively.

 

I know quite a number of old folk back "home", who because they are now alone, rely very much
on their TV's for their entertainment and news. The licence fee is currently above £12 a month, which
is not a lot for the more affluent pensioners, but for some, the reality is that to eat and keep warm,
they have to set rigid parameters regarding any outgoings, so any person over 75 in 2020, who are
not on Pension Credit could feel cheated.

As has been said, the Tories offloaded the free licence "burden" onto the BBC who sound genuine in regretting that they will have to do it. Mark my words, the next to go will be the Winter Fuel allowance, but that will be OK for the well
heeled , especially as Boris is proposing to raise the highest tax threshold to £80k per annum.

One of my mates wife has German grandparents who live over in Doncaster. Last time I was talking to him,
I was gobsmacked when he told me that the Old age Pension in Germany is over 560 € ( £500 ) per
week. It's around 576€ in Spain ( £514) and 352€ ( £314) in France. In Germany, there are many places
where you can enjoy free Wi-fi. There are around four hundred sites in Berlin alone, so quite a number of
citizens or small businesses don't have to shell out for internet connection each month.

 

Good point, but he's got to think of all the people who will be eligible to vote in the next General Election
as well. Tory candidates to be our next PM have, all in their speeches thus far , all cited why it would be a catastrophe
to have Jeremy Corbyn in No 10 instead of emphasising what it is they intend to do. Hunt was bashing on about he is
the one to negotiate a better deal with the EU knowing full well that's not going to happen.

Why can't they realise that with their constant in fighting, their dithering over carrying out the will of the majority
who voted to leave the EU, their current criticism over each other's ability to do the job, serves only to convince
the electorate that it is time for a change and the whole bunch of them are consigned to the dustbin of political history
as soon as possible.

 

I can't vouch for any of this, but found it an interesting read re: state of Conservative Party membership.

https://www.bowgroup.org/policy/sta...d-analysis-conservative-party-membership-2019

 

Mark Thompson refused to take the deal when he was DG so not sure why Tony Hall (I think) agreed to it. My understanding (and not through the press) is that this arrangement was supposed to run until 2022 when it would be looked at again.

I think the BBC are so far behind the curve now with services like Netflix and Amazon that they are desperate to save every penny they can and this looked to be the easiest target.

I honestly can't see them surviving in the long term with major changes in the way its funded and an overhaul of its operating model.

 

Hope you're right. I'll dance on their grave.

 

I quite like the beeb, some of their services are very good but they're business model has to change to compete. There are so many service options available now that they no longer have the captive audience they once enjoyed.

Edit. I do not like the way it is funded.

 

I'll bring the beers

 

Been down to Oldmans today he's 95 I asked him if he was on pension credit he said look lad I have never asked for owt all mi life, and said he could just manage on his OAP and pit pension saying most of his money was spent on heating as it was on 24/7 throughout the winter, then I told him I only asked because if he receive pension credit because if not he would have to fork out £150 for a tv licence, he just smiled like all owd men do and said what else do you expect son under today's greed.

 

The only business that’s sales tactics are buy or prison.

 

Yes it was in the Tory manifesto - the free TV licence for over-75s would be guaranteed for the current term of parliament, until 2022. Being Tories, obviously, that counts for f.u.ck all and they scrapped it. And even more being Tories, that utter lovely person May has said she’s ‘disappointed ‘ by the BBC’s decision and urged them to ‘rethink’!!!! The gall of these cnuts!!!!!

 

Thanks for D Day lads , pay up

 

Until you don't pay the fine.

 

All good points

 

You were right to be gobsmacked...those are the maximum available pensions not the average or minimums.

 

About 53% of all welfare spending goes to the over 60’s.
They’re the most protected members of society whilst everyone is being distracted by money spent elsewhere that could be given to our ‘poor’ pensioners.

All over the country there’s old ladies squirrelling away money to hide it from the authorities so they don’t lose the benefit they’re ‘entitled’ to.

Millions of pensioners are in the odd situation of having more disposable income than they’ve ever had without the ability to enjoy it.

I’m not suggesting taking more from them, but just balancing the media myth that pensioners aren’t protected.

 

What happens if you dont pay the fine?

You go to prison.

Theres about 40 currently serving time due to not paying the TV tax.

 

I do agree in part with some of the points you make Donny, what grips me is the goverment class an old age pension as a benefit/ welfare payment ,it isnt, it's an entitlement not a privilege and a vast majority have paid NI contributions for 30 years and many more ( now 35 ) into there pot to get a pension ( not a bloody benefit)
This may cause controversy but if the goverment are that skint that they have to save 350 million, then take it off the 16 billion we pay in foreign aid, we would still be paying 15.7 billion ( unbelievable jeff)