Defence Secretary Joins Fight To Stop BBC Charging Over 75s For Licence Fee

A number of veterans were involved in commemorations for D-Day 75 last week (Picture: MOD).

The Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt has written to the Culture Secretary over the "significant" number of veterans who will be affected by free TV licences for over 75s being discontinued.

Ms Mordaunt, along with defence minister Tobias Ellwood, signed a letter asking for an explanation over the decision.

Mr Ellwood last week expressed his concern that as many as one million veterans would be impacted by the change.

In the letter, Ms Mordaunt and Mr Ellwood, both reservists in the military, asked for more detail on:

• what evidence the BBC received leading them to scrap the free TV licence;
• what considerations were made to the military community and veterans;
• and suggested that the Director General of the BBC be invited to signed the Armed Forces Covenant.

The BBC has said free licences will be means-tested under a new scheme which, it says, aims to protect programming while dealing with the extra funding burden.

A BBC spokesperson said: “The Government decided to stop funding free licences for all over 75s, and Parliament gave the BBC the clear responsibility to decide and consult on the future policy. We’ve reached the fairest decision we can so we protect the poorest older pensioners while ensuring everyone will continue to receive the best programmes and services that the BBC can provide.

“The BBC has enormous respect for the men and women who have served our country and sacrificed so much, as anyone who saw our extensive coverage of the recent commemorations for the 75th anniversary of D-Day will appreciate.

“It is right that the Government sets and controls entitlement for benefits, and if they believe there needs to be greater provision for any group in society, then they can expand the scope of other benefits to meet those objectives.

“At the beginning of the week, the BBC published a full rationale for the decision we have taken. It makes clear that it is also a matter for Government whether it would now wish to pay the additional costs so that all over 75s could continue to receive a free TV licence.”

Only around 1.5 million households will be eligible for a free TV licence under the new scheme.