The Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has been accused of being “disingenuous” after she said older people would no longer be threatened over the BBC licence fee, indicating that it will be scrapped.
The Silver Voices campaign group said over-75s were still receiving enforcement notices for failure to pay and called on the Government to clarify how they will be protected.
It also said reports that the annual £159 licence fee will be frozen for two years were irrelevant to older people who already struggle to afford it.
“Freezing the licence fee for two years, that’s pretty incidental as far as we’re concerned because a lot of people can’t afford £159… there’s really not much in there to cheer about,” Dennis Reed, the director of Silver Voices, told i.
Ms Dorries used a tweet to reveal the next announcement about the licence fee “will be the last”, with reports suggesting the payment is expected to be kept at the current rate until April 2024.
She also indicated that she wanted to find a new funding model for the BBC after the current licence fee deal expires in 2027.
“This licence fee announcement will be the last,” Ms Dorries tweeted. “The days of the elderly being threatened with prison sentences and bailiffs knocking on doors are over. Time now to discuss and debate new ways of funding, supporting and selling great British content.”
She was criticised over the announcement though, with claims that the Government is trying to detract from the party scandal engulfing No 10 and the Prime Minister.
Ms Dorries’ statement attempted to appeal to older voters who have condemned the BBC’s decision to scrap universal free licences for over-75s unless they receive pension credit. The corporation said it could no longer support the concession due to the burden on its budget.
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But Mr Reed said: “It’s not necessarily an answer to say that there will be no licence fee in the future unless we know what the alternative funding model is going to be.”
“The statement from Nadine Dorries… it appeared to indicate the days of bailiffs and prison threats are over… that is disingenuous because… there is nothing in there about an enforcement amnesty for the over-75s, there’s nothing in there about restoring free licences for the over-75s for the next five years – we’re talking about a long period of time [until the end of the current deal].
“At the very time she made this statement, I’ve had several of our members send in some very threatening enforcement notices which have come through from TV Licensing for people who are over 75. So it’s happening now on the ground. I really want to know what Nadine Dorries is going to do to to make good on that promise.”
A BBC source told The Sunday Times: “There are very good reasons for investing in what the BBC can do for the British public and the creative industries, and the (profile of the) UK around the world.
“Anything less than inflation would put unacceptable pressure on the BBC finances after years of cuts.”
i has contacted the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport for comment.
