The Government has told campaigners it is keeping an open mind on new concessions for households, after a renewed push to give free TV licences to all pensioners. The issue matters now because the annual fee is £180, and ministers have not ruled out changes even as pressure builds.
More than 20,000 people have backed an appeal urging the Government to fund free TV licences for all pensioners, but the current rules are much narrower. A person can apply for a free licence if they are 75 or older and they or their partner at the same address receive Pension Credit, a benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions that tops up weekly income to £238 for a single person or £363.25 for a couple.
That leaves many older viewers outside the existing concession, including pensioners who do not receive Pension Credit and therefore have to pay the full £180 a year. The update from the Department for Culture Media and Sport did not commit to widening the scheme, but it did leave the door open to new concessions at a time when campaigners are asking for something far broader than the current age-and-benefit test.
There are other discounts in the system too. A person who is blind and can provide the appropriate evidence can apply for a 50% concession, while people who are partially sighted are not eligible for that discount. Residents of residential care homes, supported housing or sheltered accommodation may also qualify for an Accommodation for Residential Care licence, which costs £7.50 per room, flat or bungalow.
For now, that is the gap at the heart of the debate: ministers are still only keeping an open mind, while campaigners want free licences for all State Pensioners. Unless the Government goes further, the current system will continue to leave many older households paying the full fee while a smaller group qualifies for help.
