Television Licences: Concessions
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the BBC on support for pensioners marginally above the Pension Credit threshold and not eligible for free TV licences.
Answered by Ian Murray
The BBC Charter Review Green Paper sought views on ways to make the BBC’s funding fairer, including possible new concessions. As set out in the Green Paper, we do not plan to remove any existing concessions.This includes the concession for over 75s on pension credit which targets those most in need of support. In 2024, the government also extended the Simple Payment Plan to support those facing financial hardship to spread the cost of their TV licence.
The Government is considering responses to the Charter Review public consultation, which closed on 10 March 2026. These will inform policy decisions for the next BBC Royal Charter which will be set out in a White Paper, expected to be published later this year.
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