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The Future of the TV License Fee - Paul2 (17th Dec 2025 - 09:01:14) The Culture Sec has announced a public consultation on the future of the regressive TV License Fee. Options include: Allowing the BBC to run adverts across all its services Introducing a paywall for premium content Charging households on higher incomes more for a TV license Giving households on benefits a reduction in the TV license fee or providing it for free Thoughts?

Re: The Future of the TV License Fee - Pensioner (17th Dec 2025 - 10:47:40) They should give it free to pensioners before people on benefits. Pensioners deserve better from this government their pensions are far too low and they are taxed if they worked hard to provide for their old age disgusting.

Re: The Future of the TV License Fee - Paul2 (17th Dec 2025 - 12:59:44) Agree it should be free to pensioners. It would be great to do this - and other ways - of helping and giving back to those who have already worked hard all their lives. I also think the idea of having to pay a tax just to look at flashing images on a screen in your house is bonkers.

Re: The Future of the TV License Fee - John Jonson (17th Dec 2025 - 19:35:42) Why all those add-ons for people who are already in receipt of taxpayers' money? The clue is in the name: pensioners are in receipt of pension moneys to cover bills, benefit recipients are already being paid benefits by the rest of us to cover their bills. Why the endless extras on top? It should be: You want to watch what is left of what the BBC once was? YOU pay for it from your own bills budget. You chose not to budget for it? Don't watch it. You don't want to watch the dumbed-down political toxic BBC bias? You should not need to pay for it.

Re: The Future of the TV License Fee - Paul2 (17th Dec 2025 - 21:16:20) That last response was particularly heartless. As a number of pensioners often have mobility issues they have physical and mental health reasons for spending more time at home - particularly in winter. How could anyone begrudge them not having to then pay a regressive tax to watch some TV to relieve the boredom? But the good news for the last commentor was that they will personally find out - as they too will be old and frail at some point in their life. Come back then and tell us how it feels?

Re: The Future of the TV License Fee - John Jonson (18th Dec 2025 - 06:32:55) Come on Paul2, representing me as evil over TV choices and pensionaries as pitiful people doesn't do you any justice. Pensionaries are in receipt of money to budget their choice of expenses. They get EXTRA monies for other stuff (prescriptions, transport, mobility...). They can decide to spend on coffee mornings, heating, eating, WI, pampering themselves or relatives, cruises, pub lunches, or paid-for tv etc as they wish to chose. No one is saying don't watch TV. They can watch commercial tv, put up with the adds, or pay for what used to be a good national broadcaster. What is totally unfair is forcing others who struggle to make a living to pay pensionaries' fancies when we are struggling to make a living, pay our bills and then pay higher taxes. No more freebie extras and add-ons to those already being paid help. No more funding failed arrogant toxic institutions like OUR BBC and OUR NHS; not until they are fundamentally reformed.

Re: The Future of the TV License Fee - Pensioner (18th Dec 2025 - 07:55:34) John Johnson Your comments are heartless As posted by another, One day you may be old

Re: The Future of the TV License Fee - passfield resident (18th Dec 2025 - 08:34:59) John Johnson-how is the NHS "toxic"?

Re: The Future of the TV License Fee - First pensioner (18th Dec 2025 - 10:38:38) John Johnson just so you understand the basic pension of £176-45 a week has to go a long way even with the other extras as you say don’t think many are living it up . Forgot we get an extra 25 p a week after your 80 yippee. Just to get it in perspective my brother-in-law worked very hard all his life managed to pay into two private pensions for his retirement one of those pensions is completely wiped out by tax so he worked his socks of for the government great . John Johnson you live in a different world.

Re: The Future of the TV License Fee - Paul2 (18th Dec 2025 - 12:38:12) John I didn't say you were evil - I didn't say anything like that about you. You said it about yourself however.

Re: The Future of the TV License Fee - Ian (18th Dec 2025 - 13:46:48) The world has moved on and the BBC no longer deserves public funding. It needs to move to another model, perhaps advertising or subscription but definitely not tax payers money anymore

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