Free TV licence for pensioners call nears key milestone after response | Personal Finance | Finance

Campaigners pushing for free television licences to be extended to all state pensioners have received an update, as a petition that could trigger a Parliamentary showdown approaches a crucial milestone. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, led by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, has released a fresh statement on the matter – confirming it was ‘keeping an open mind’ about ‘new concessions’ for households.

The petition, which can be found here, has already garnered support from nearly 40,000 people. Should it reach 100,000 signatures, it will be referred for Parliamentary debate, heaping pressure on Culture Secretary Ms Nandy to weigh up the arguments, while ministers will be required to defend the Government’s official stance in Parliament and provide updates. People only have until July 21 to sign up before it closes.

The standard TV licence fee stands at £180 per year and remains the principal source of funding for all BBC television, radio and online services.

This encompasses the BBC’s iPlayer, Sounds app, World Service and radio stations. According to its 2024/2025 annual report, the broadcaster’s income from the licence fee totalled £3.8 billion that year, with 23.8 million licences currently in force.

Even if someone does not watch BBC programmes, a licence fee is legally required to view or record television on any channel or service, including Sky and Freeview, watch live on streaming platforms, including YouTube and Amazon Prime Video, or to use BBC iPlayer. For pensioners to qualify for a free TV licence in the UK, either they or their partner living at the same address must be 75 years or older and in receipt of Pension Credit.

Universal free TV licences for 3.7 million pensioners aged 75 and over formally ended on 31 July 2020. The BBC argued at the time that subsidising free TV licences for all over-75s would have resulted in ‘unprecedented closures’.

The petition states: “We want the Government to fund free TV licences for existing pensioners and those who reach the official retirement age. When people reach retirement age, we think they should receive a state-financed free TV licence.

“Many pensioners live on the breadline with only the TV for company. With the cost of food soaring and utility bills ever higher, we feel there is a desperate need to provide all pensioners with at least this concession.

“We feel it is a double outrage that those who have given their all to this country in taxes and raising children have to pay a TV licence fee and are only exempt if they receive means-tested Pension Credit. Meanwhile, some media figures draw huge salaries.”

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport commented: “There are a number of TV licence concessions available, including for over-75s in receipt of pension credit. There is no BBC concession to provide free TV licences for all pensioners at this time.

“TV Licence concessions are set out in legislation and are currently available to people who are registered blind or severely sight impaired, as well as to over-75s in receipt of pension credit, and people living in qualifying residential care who are disabled or over 60 years old. The Government is committed to the current licence fee and its available concessions for the remainder of this Charter period, until the end of 2027.”

Regarding the prospect of future amendments, the department went on to say: “We are also keeping an open mind about new concessions and are considering a range of options to better account for different household situations. As set out in the Charter Review Green Paper, we do not plan to remove any existing concessions.

“We also do not plan to revisit the decision on over-75s licences as the BBC provides a concession for over-75s on pension credit which targets those most in need of support. It was estimated the cost of the TV licence concession for all over-75s could reach around £745 million per annum prior to its amendment in 2020.”

The Culture Secretary has indicated she may be receptive to replacing the flat licence fee with a tiered payment structure, following a proposal put forward by BBC chairman Samir Shah. She condemned the existing flat-rate charge, arguing it meant “poorer people pay proportionately more than anybody else.”

Currently, three concessions are funded through licence fee income, comprising free TV licences for over-75s in receipt of pension credit, half-price licences for those who are severely sight impaired or blind, and an annual fee of £7.50 for residents living in certain types of care homes.

To access the petition, add your signature and read the complete response, click here.