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A LABOUR government would prevent planned cuts to free TV licences if elected on December 12, the party pledged today.
The scrapping of universal free licences for over-75s was announced in June, when the BBC said that only those in receipt of pension credit would qualify for a free TV licence from 2020.
It followed a 2015 agreement between the BBC and the government, in which the former took on responsibility for funding free TV licences as part of a financial settlement.
Both the BBC and the government faced widespread criticism for the decision. At the time, the BBC attributed it to its own reduced budget.
Announcing the Labour pledge today, deputy leader and shadow culture secretary Tom Watson described the cut as “utterly callous.”
He said: “Four in 10 older people say the TV is their main source of company, but from next year 3.7 million will lose their free TV licence.”
The cut will cost pensioners £154.50 a year from June 2020. The provision of free TV licences costs £745 million a year.
Analysis by the House of Commons Library showed 240,010 households affected were in Scotland.
Shadow Scotland secretary Lesley Laird emphasised the nation’s role in the upcoming election.
“Almost a quarter of a million households in Scotland will see their licences saved,” said Ms Laird.
“This election is a straight choice between a Tory government that will impose more cuts or a Labour government that will invest in people, services and our communities.
“Scotland can deliver a knockout blow to Boris Johnson’s hopes of being [re-elected] Prime Minister by voting for Labour at the general election.”
The pledge was welcomed by Jan Shortt, general secretary of the National Pensioners’ Convention (NPC), who said: “As a universal benefit, the government is responsible for the funding and was remiss in passing over this important part of the welfare system to the BBC.
“The BBC is not an arm of the DWP and has no role in social welfare.
“The NPC is calling for the reinstatement of the free TV licence for all over-75s fully funded and maintained by the government.”
