Tv licence

[fallen-archie]

Whilst it doesn’t affect me and is unlikely to, the announcement today by the bbc that it is to stop giving out free tv licences to the over 75s is certainly causing a stir. There is of course a caveat that those on pension credit will not be affected but I cannot help thinking, is this the last throw of the dice for them? I suspect that even a Corbyn Government will be celebrating this news. The lefties will be showing faux outrage whilst dancing in their spittoons, Of course free licences will become part of the next labour manifesto linked to a trashing of the bbc, it’s news coverage and current affairs will pay a heavy price. Will they employ that wonderful North Korean newsreader to tell us how the state is doing and congratulating comrades on the bumper sugar beet harvest? White Poppies will of course be obligatory and Owen Jones will be the new Director General! Scotland will get independence sponsored by Buckfast, and Alex Salmond will come out of Russian Retirement to take responsibility for border crossings and the repointing of hadrians wall! Tony Blair will be prosecuted for war crimes and Margaret Thatcher will be dug up and re buried at sea just off the coast of Murmansk. Dianne Abbott will sponsor a bill in the House of Commons to legalise compulsory euthanasia for all but persons of colour and those who had previously held union membership. Oh the days just get better and better!

[**bustysinclaire**]

Hubby doesn't pay.

If I have to in the future I just won't have the TV.  Don't watch it much myself.

All the other mentions Archie I have no idea what you are talking about.

[joe_bloggs*]

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@**bustysinclaire** wrote:

Hubby doesn't pay.

If I have to in the future I just won't have the TV.  Don't watch it much myself.

All the other mentions Archie I have no idea what you are talking about.

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Nor has Archie,His diatribe fails to mention his darling tories 2017 manifesto promised to keep the free over 75 licences 

[fallen-archie]

As I have said on many occasions Joe, I am no darling of the Tory party, nor do I worship the cult of Corbyn, I would prefer to see PR in our elections so that all people would feel involved and we would see an end to the axis of evil that currently exists.
Sorry about the ramblings Busty, I was tired when I launched into it and couldn’t be bothered to remove the carp at the end😳

[geosacha007]

The Tories apparently did a deal with the BBC whereby they allowed them to raise the license fee in return for the commitment that over 75s would get it free.  So the BBC have broken this agreement.

[joe_bloggs*]

I see a few of the tory leader contenders now promising to keep the over 75 subsidy,even though they promised to keep it in their 2017 manifesto !

[al**bear]

it is the Tory party at fault for the loss of TV licences for well off Pensioners

They always paid it, but then dumped it on the Beeb , knowing it was unsustainable

If you receive pension credits, you'll still get it free

So all this nonsense over 'poor' pensioners is rubbish

[**bustysinclaire**]

No need to apologise Archie, just because I don't understand lol xx my fault for that not yours 😀

This was was the first year we bothered to take advantage of the free licence, we had been entitled for a couple of years previously but always paid. Now it looks as though it could be taken away.🤔im not of the age I can get it if anything happens to hubby but its not going to bother me much as I'm not a TV watcher. But having said that I use pc tablet and other devices so I will still have to pay I think xx

[fallen-archie]

Well regardless of what the critics say I believe the fee is worthwhile, The BBC make some cracking drama and natural history programmes which alone are worthy of some payment, then there are the various radio stations all catering for a wide and varied audience, that’s pretty good in my opinion. The fact that a handful of people earn staggering salaries is a fact of life in a market led economy. If I wanted to watch sport and films on sky what would that cost me annually by comparison, because that’s the way we are heading if we keep knocking our national broadcaster, oh and I nearly forgot, what other channels can you watch in the afternoon that don’t bombard you with advertisements predicting your impending death, or appealing to you to leave something in your will?

[**bustysinclaire**]

You've got a point about the adverts for funerals and wills. My hubby's got fed up with those. He doesn't want reminding of the inevitable poor chap.

[theelench]

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@**bustysinclaire** wrote:

But having said that I use pc tablet and other devices so I will still have to pay I think xx

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The law as stated on one of the letters I receive on an almost monthly basis from TV Licensing Enforcement (Maidstone).

"It is illegal to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel, or to download or watch BBC programmes on IPlayer, without a TV Licence -- no matter what device you use."

I can quote this because I have had eight letters since January, telling me that as there is no record of a licence at my address and I need to get one "to be correctly " licensed.  Every one dropping heavy hints that most people who claim not to need a licence, in fact, do.  In other words I am lying.

I am currently awaiting a visit from an enforcement officer, perhaps accompanied by the police, possibly with a warrant to search the premises.  If and from the tone of the letters, they clearly mean when, they catch me watching live TV, I will be fined thousands of ££s and possibly imprisoned.

Alternatively I can ring them and tell them (again) that I don't need a licence.  They will then accept this as proof that I don't need one without any other corroboration.

After the statutory two years, the insinuations will start again and in about three years, after dozens of increasingly insulting and threatening letters I will be scheduled for another visit.  I always answer the first letter, confirming that it is still me living at the address.  Tell them I do not need a licence, that this will not be changing and will I not be answering any further communications until it does.

I know all this because I stopped watching TV in 1990 and have never watched live TV at home since, on any device.  The cycle has repeated since then.  It is a complete waste of Licence Payers money and yet another example of BBC "Jobs for the boys".  When the Licensing officer arrives he will be alone, as always, therefore he will refuse my invitation to enter my flat to confirm that I have no TV sets or other devices that I use to watch TV.  Will ask for proof of my I.D, and go away.

This has been going on for nearly thirty years.

[mhbt32again]

Ironically, I hit 75 just a few weeks back, but will have to pay again in May. 

So I get a free licence for 5 or 6 months - big deal!  And just my luck that as soon as I qualify for something free, it is immediately taken away again.   LOL!

[bankhaunter]

I got my free licence when they were introduced.

I suppose I should buy a television to go with it.

[theelench]

Just quick update on my previous post.

Still getting regular threatening letters and still waiting for the impending investigative visit.

I wonder, does the tardiness mean that there are so many "Non-Licensed Addresses" that it's taken months but I've not got to the top of their list yet?

Or that the Maidstone Enforcement Office only employs a couple of part-time investigators, who only manage to visit a couple of addresses each evening?

Or that they have taken notice of my previous correspondence but forgotten to take my name off their list, so the automated letters just keep on coming?