A grassroots campaign to abolish TV licence fees for pensioners is gaining traction, with over 43,000 people signing a petition demanding change. The movement comes as the annual cost is set to rise £5 to £174.50 next month, adding to the financial pressures facing older citizens already struggling with soaring living costs.
The petition’s creator argues that exempting pensioners from the fee would provide much-needed relief at a time when many are choosing between heating their homes and putting food on the table. Currently, only over-75s receiving Pension Credit qualify for free licences – a safety net that leaves many retirees still having to pay.
While the government hasn’t rejected the proposal outright, their response suggests any changes would need to fit into broader reforms of BBC funding. Officials pointed to upcoming negotiations about the broadcaster’s future as part of the BBC Charter Review, where the licence fee model will be examined alongside the corporation’s wider role in British life.
The BBC does offer payment plans to help households spread the cost, with take-up expected to double to 500,000 by 2027. But campaigners say this doesn’t go far enough for pensioners living on fixed incomes during a cost-of-living crisis.
With the petition remaining open until late May, organisers are pushing to reach the 100,000 signatures needed to trigger parliamentary debate. The growing support reflects deepening public concerns about whether the decades-old licence fee remains fair in an age of streaming services and financial hardship – particularly for those who grew up with the BBC as their primary source of news and entertainment.
