In August 2020, there was a policy change to the TV Licence for those over 75 and free licences were no longer funded by the government from this date, with those aged 75 or over receiving Pension Credit eligible to apply for a free TV Licence. The transition period for this new policy was extended to 31 July 2021 due to Covid-19.
Since then, more than 9 out of 10 of these households have now made arrangements for a free or paid licence or updated TV Licensing on changes in their circumstances. Now that over 75s households are in line with the general population, TV Licensing is writing to customers they are yet to hear from to remind them that the deadline for either paying for a TV License or applying for a free license is coming up.
The letters will include information about the simple steps to take to get set up and make clear that advice and support are on-hand should people need it. TV Licensing will also be hosting zoom meetings for community groups and charities to get up to speed with the latest updates and what this will mean for their clients/service users. The meetings will cover:
- TV Licence basics
- Over 75 policy change
- Flexible payment plans
- Concessions
- Vulnerable customers
- Supporting materials available
The meetings can be arranged for any date and time by emailing clare.clark02@bbc.co.uk.