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Cricket legend Sir Ian Botham has called upon the BBC to “look after” the elderly during the cost of living crisis by waiving the licence fee for those over 75s. But do you support the fee being scrapped for pensioners? Vote in our poll.
Using his guest editorship of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Boxing Day, Sir Botham renewed his calls for over-75s to be exempt from paying the £159 annual fee.
He told BBC’s Amol Rajan: “I would like to see, and hope to see, that our elder statesmen and pensioners are looked after.”
READ MORE: Lord Botham renews campaign pledge over TV licence fee for over-75s
He continued: “People are talking now about how they’ve got no money – well, I’m sorry, they shouldn’t be getting charged. It’s an institution that’s there for everyone to have and I think the BBC does quite well for itself financially. The BBC should look after those people 75 and over. I think we would all be delighted to get a free licence when we get to 75.”
In 2020, regulations changed to allow only those aged over 75 in receipt of Pension Credit — a benefit aimed at retired people on low incomes — to redeem their free TV licence. This meant more than three million pensioners lost their entitlement.
So what do YOU think? Should the TV licence fee be scrapped for those over 75? Vote in our poll and leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
