I heard a broadcast recently by Lord Hall in why he sought to remove this benefit from the over 75’s not on pension credits.
When he spoke of “fairness to those on pension credits” it had all the overtones of the Victorian gentry distributing comforts and relief to the “deserving poor”. Why TV licences in this day and age when the BBC has come a long way from past glories and is no longer the sole broadcaster and TV provider?
This decision should never have been left to an organisation which is neither the elected government nor social services. Politicians and others set great store on “consumer choice”.
Why then should consumers pay for something they don’t use? Why does the BBC enjoy a guaranteed income from TV licences when it operates commercial enterprises? Surely the TV licence has become a tax on TV set ownership.
H. Thomas, Neath
