John Baron MP: BBC should maintain free TV licences for over-75s

MP has been lobbying Government to respect 2017 manifesto

Earlier this year, the BBC announced that from April 2020 it would end the concession giving over-75s free TV licenses, despite an agreement with the Government in 2015 that it would maintain this concession at its expense in return for being allowed to increase the licence fee for other viewers. Since then, John Baron MP has been lobbying the Government to honour our 2017 election manifesto to provide free TV licences for over-75s. The Prime Minister, Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, has acknowledged that the BBC should ‘cough up’ for the cost of these free licenses.

John said,

“The last Conservative election manifesto clearly stated that a Conservative Government would maintain free TV licenses for over-75s. More pressure needs to be brought to bear on the BBC to prevent them from reneging on their commitment to fund these free licenses – after all, they were allowed to increase the TV license paid by other viewers.”

“Election manifestos should be honoured. The BBC needs to get its finances in order and ensure that free TV licences are maintained for all over-75s. Having lobbied on this issue in Parliament, I am pleased the current Prime Minister is on side.”

Notes to Editors:

• The BBC has stated it will continue to cover the cost of licenses for those over-75s on low incomes.

• John has been lobbying the Secretaries of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on this issue since June.