The BBC Trust has warned the government it would fight any move to force the BBC to meet the cost of free television licences for the over-75s.Excuse me? Who currently foots the bill?
Ministers are reportedly considering whether to transfer the cost to the corporation as part of the Spending Review.
A BBC Trust spokeswoman said it would be "unacceptable" for licence fee payers to foot the bill.
The Department for Work and Pensions currently funds the £556m annual cost.
And where does the DWP get this money from? The licence fee payer. From their taxes. So if the DWP transfers responsibility to the BBC, they will add the cost onto the licence fee and we will be paying twice. Because you can bet your arse we wont get a reduction in taxes from the DWP.
"Anything at this stage is speculation as we have yet to see the detail of the Spending Review.
"That said it would be unacceptable for licence fee payers to pick up the bill for what is a Department for Work and Pensions universal benefit," she added.
He added increases in the licence fee were unlikely to cover the cost, which was the equivalent of a 16% cut in the BBC's present budget.I've got an idea. Scrap the licence fee. Fund the activities of the BBC commercially.
A government spokeswoman said it would not comment on speculation ahead of the Spending Review.
Every pensioner over the age of 75 receives a free TV licence, which currently costs £145.50 per year.
The corporation received £3.45bn in licence fees in 2009/10.
Whats that? It's not a new idea? Oh, ok then.
5 Comments:
Still, if people realised how easy it is to avoid paying the licence fee, then if we get a critical mass of people avoiding the tax, it will become uneconomical to recover the fee thus instantly destroying the very concept of a telly tax.
I've got a post on my blog showing the story so far with my lack of paying the telly tax - it's easy!
Beware of Geeks - I went for years without paying the telly licence but it's not so easy now.
Mrs Bucko isn't so good with getting rid of unwanted callers. I imagine the following conversation:
You have no telly licence.
Thats right.
Do you have a telly?
Er, yes.
Can I see it?
Er, yes.
Later that day: Bucko, someone came round about the telly licence.....
Yes, unfortunately, all in the household do need to be aware of the multiple tricks employed by the Capita salesmen.
Fake market researches, telephone calls inquiring about satellite subscriptions, recorded letters so they can get your name - all have been done for the pursuit of the £25 commission.
Simply don't speak to them, certainly never open the door to them and have an "implied right of access denied" notice outside. So far I've only had one visit, he was foiled by the notice and didn't get as far as ringing the bell.
Working wonders so far but I most certainly will keep everyone posted if there are changes - this has only been for a year so far, so by the sounds of your licence experience, it's early days yet.
When me and mrs Bucko bought our first house, someone came round within the first few months. I told them to go away but bought a licence shortly after that, for the reasons stated above.
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