Hundreds of thousands of over-75s could struggle to pay utility bills after the Tories broke a manifesto pledge to protect free TV licences, campaigners warn today.
An estimated 3.7 million pensioners face being clobbered for £154.50 to watch television from June after the Tories ditched a promise to protect the lifeline.
Age UK, which along with the Mirror has battled to save free licences for the over-75s, today reveals how much those households already fork out on vital utilities.
Official figures show they stump up an average of £46 a month on electricity, £43 on gas and £28 on water.
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Having to find almost £13 a month an extra so they can watch their favourite shows will pile added pressure on stretched budgets, said Age UK.
Charity director Caroline Abrahams warned: “As winter bites this week we know that many pensioners are worried about their heating bills and cutting back spending on other essentials, including food, to save money wherever they possibly can.
“The last thing older people in this situation need is to be hit in the pocket again in a few months’ time and every year thereafter because they have to find the money for a TV licence too.
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“They are already shelling out a lot on their utilities and, for some, an extra £150 plus a year will be a bridge too far.”
Pensioners are braced for the financial blow in 130 days after the BBC decided to curb entitlement to free licences.
The Conservatives promised at the 2017 election to protect the benefit for the rest of the Parliament, which had been due to run until 2022.
But the BBC had already been handed responsibility for funding the lifeline from June 2020, under a deal stitched up in 2015.
The corporation says continuing to fund free licences for all over-75s would have cost £745million – a fifth of its budget – by 2021-22.
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That is equivalent to what it spends in total on BBC2, BBC3, BBC4, the BBC News Channel, and children’s stations CBBC and CBeebies.
The broadcaster plans to restrict the benefit, meaning just 1.5 million OAPs are likely to continue receiving free licences from the Spring.
From June, only over-75s receiving Pension Credit will be eligible – meaning 80% of over-75s, some 3.7 million OAPs, will have to pay to watch TV.
The Mirror is campaigning to save the lifeline, with more than 18,000 readers backing the fight by completing coupons in the paper.
More than 600,000 have signed Age UK’s Switched Off petition calling for free licences to be preserved and the Government to take back responsibility for funding.
But Boris Johnson has brushed off responsibility for funding the benefit, claiming the BBC should “cough up”.
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Last month, the Prime Minister revealed he was “looking at” the possibility of abolishing the licence fee.
He added: “How long can you justify a system whereby everybody who has a TV has to pay to fund a particular set of TV and radio channels? That is the question.”
Outgoing BBC director-general Lord Tony Hall has previously blamed the Government for axing the benefit.
Ms Abrahams said: “There are only 130 days to go now before the free TV licence for all over-75s is due to be scrapped under the BBC’s plan, so it’s more important than ever that the Government steps in and the BBC steps up to sustain this important welfare benefit.
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“They should sit down together now and broker a solution, or both will be responsible for the hardship and distress to our oldest citizens that will inevitably result.”
She added: “Although the poorest older people, those eligible for Pension Credit, would supposedly continue to be entitled to a free TV Licence under the BBC’s proposed scheme, we know that some two in five of all those eligible don’t claim, in which case they and others whose incomes are only just above the line are set to face horrible decisions over whether they can afford to continue to watch TV at all.
“It’s completely wrong to put the oldest people in our society through this.
“We urge the Government to act now to save the free TV licence and put millions of anxious older people’s minds at rest.”
