Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the BBC on the decision to remove the free TV license for over 75s.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government meets with the BBC on regular occasions to discuss a wide range of issues, including the over 75 concession. The Government has consistently made clear its disappointment with the BBC's decision to restrict the over 75 licence fee concession to only those in receipt of pension credit. We recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believe they should be funded by the BBC.
The BBC remains responsible for the administration of the concession and it will be responsible for setting out what those affected will need to do. It must look urgently at how it can use its substantial licence fee income to support older people and deliver for UK audiences of all ages.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of eligible pensioners are claiming Pension Credit; and what steps they are taking to improve its take-up following the BBC’s decision to confine free TV licences to those in receipt of Pension Credit.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott - Opposition Whip (Lords)
The latest estimated proportion of eligible pensioners who are claiming Pension Credit is 61 per cent. Official statistics on the take-up of income-related benefits at Great Britain level, can be found in the ‘Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up in 2017 to 2018’ publication, which is available on Gov.uk.
The Government wants to make sure that all eligible pensioners can claim Pension Credit. That is why in February this year we launched a targeted twelve-week nationwide campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit.
Part of the campaign was to dispel some of the misconceptions that people might have about Pension Credit eligibility. We wanted to make it clear that even a small award of Pension Credit can provide access to a range of other benefits such as help with rent, council tax reduction schemes, heating costs and for those aged 75 or over, a free television licence.
We continue to work with stakeholders to help spread the key messages from the campaign because we know that often the best ways to reach eligible pensioners is through trusted stakeholders working in the community. Our online Pension Credit toolkit has been updated to help older people understand how they could claim Pension Credit.
In May this year we also launched an online claim service for Pension Credit to supplement the existing telephone and postal claim services. The new online service provides an additional claim facility and enables pensioners to apply for Pension Credit at a time that suits them.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will protect free tv licenses for over 75's in (a) Newport West, (b) Wales, and (c) the UK.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The government is deeply disappointed that the BBC has chosen not to extend the over 75 licence fee concession. We recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believe they should be funded by the BBC.
However, the Digital Economy Act, 2017, provides the BBC is responsible for the concession, not the Government. The BBC must look urgently at how it can use its substantial licence fee income to support older people and deliver for UK audiences of all ages.
Asked by: Lord Hay of Ballyore (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the BBC about free television licences for people aged over 75.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The government meets with the BBC on regular occasions to discuss a wide range of issues, including the over 75 concession. The Government has consistently made clear its disappointment with the BBC's decision to restrict the over 75 licence fee concession to only those in receipt of pension credit. We recognise the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believe they should be funded by the BBC.
The BBC remains responsible for the administration of the concession and it will be responsible for setting out what those affected will need to do. It must look urgently at how it can use its substantial licence fee income to support older people and deliver for UK audiences of all ages.
Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the over 75s TV licence fee is kept under review during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Following discussion between the BBC and the Government, and recognising the exceptional circumstances of the national Coronavirus situation, the BBC Board decided to postpone the start of its new restricted policy on over 75 licence fees to 1 August this year. The BBC has promised to keep the issue under review as the situation continues to evolve. The Secretary of State said on 20 May 2020 during the government’s daily Coronavirus briefing: ‘I very much hope that if we are in a similar situation come the beginning of August the BBC will show similar flexibility again’. The BBC remains responsible for the administration of the concession and it will be responsible for setting out what those affected will need to do.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will hold further discussions with the BBC on their decision to remove the free television licence concession for people aged over 75.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The Government recognises the value of free TV licences for over-75s and believes that they should be funded by the BBC. The Government is disappointed with the BBC's decision to restrict the over 75 licence fee concession only to those in receipt of Pension Credit. However, the BBC remains responsible for the administration of the concession and it will be responsible for setting out what those affected will need to do.
The BBC and the Government have been discussing the national Coronavirus situation. Recognising the exceptional circumstances, the BBC Board decided to change the start date of its new policy on over 75s. The current plan is to reduce the concession on 1 August and the BBC will keep the issue under review as the situation continues to evolve.
Asked by: Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the BBC about plans to charge those aged over 75 for a TV licence, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The BBC and the government continue to discuss the national Coronavirus situation.
The BBC’s priority over the coming period will be to do everything it can to serve the nation at this uniquely challenging time. As the national broadcaster, the BBC has a vital role to play in supplying information to the public in the weeks and months ahead.
The future of the over 75 concession and the costs of the concession are matters for the BBC following the passage of the Digital Economy Act 2017.
Recognising the exceptional circumstances, the BBC Board has decided to change the start date of the new policy. We will bring this into force on 1 August and the BBC will keep the issue under review as the situation continues to evolve.
Asked by: Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 19 March (HL2428) and the long-term forecast for the length of the self-isolation period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what plans they have (1) to seek an agreement with the BBC to suspend the withdrawal of free TV licenses for people aged over 75, and (2) to bear the costs arising as a result of any such suspension.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The BBC’s priority over the coming period will be to do everything it can to serve the nation at this uniquely challenging time. As the national broadcaster, the BBC has a vital role to play in supplying information to the public in the weeks and months ahead.
The future of the over 75 concession and the costs of the concession are matters for the BBC following the passage of the Digital Economy Act 2017.
Recognising the exceptional circumstances, the BBC Board decided to change the start date of its new policy. The current plan is to now bring it into place on 1 August. However, the government welcomes the BBC’s decision to keep the issue under review as the situation continues to evolve.
Asked by: Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of people over 75 years old who will be confined to their homes due to COVID-19; and, in the light of that assessment, what plans they have to postpone the withdrawal of free TV licences for those over 75.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The Department of Health and Social Care is responsible for the government's response to COVID-19 and any assessment of the number of people over 75 years old who could be confined to their homes due to COVID-19. Although careful and scientific consideration is being given to all policy options, no final decisions have been taken over interventions that would require this.
The future of the over 75 licence fee concession is a matter for the BBC from 1 June 2020. This reform was subject to public discussion and debated extensively during the passage of the Digital Economy Act 2017 through Parliament.
However, the BBC and the government have been discussing the national Coronavirus situation. Changes to the TV licence for people aged over 75 had been due to come into effect on 1 June. But during this time we do not want anyone to be worried about any potential change.
The BBC’s priority over the coming period will be to do everything it can to serve the nation at this uniquely challenging time. As the national broadcaster, the BBC has a vital role to play in supplying information to the public in the weeks and months ahead.
Recognising the exceptional circumstances, the BBC Board has therefore decided to change the start date of the new policy. The current plan is to now bring it into place on 1 August and the BBC will keep the issue under review as the situation continues to evolve.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2020 to Question 3870, for what reasons that answer did not include an assessment of the effect of the policy to no longer fund free TV licences for people aged over 75 on loneliness among older people.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Following the licence fee settlement agreement in 2015, the future of the over 75 licence fee concession is the responsibility of the BBC, not of the government. Therefore, the BBC is responsible for conducting an assessment of the effect of the policy to no longer fund free TV licences for all people aged over 75 on loneliness among older people from 1 June 2020.
The BBC acknowledged the impact of loneliness when, following public consultation, it set out its decision on the future of the concession. This can be viewed online: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/reports/consultation/age/decision-document.pdf
You will also be aware that, recognising the exceptional circumstances of the national Coronavirus situation, the BBC Board has decided to change the start date of the new policy. The current plan is to now bring it into place on 1 August and the BBC will keep the issue under review.