BBC threatens pensioners with bailiffs if they don't pay the licence fee - after spending £38m on 800 staff to enforce collection of the £157.50 levy

  • Most over-75s are now required to pay the £157.50 licence fee to the BBC
  • Corporation has spent £38m on 800 staff for call centres dealing with evasion
  • But campaign group says thousands of older people could rebel against the fee
  • Age UK criticised corporation's 'complex and confusing' ten-page letters detailing changes sent to the elderly 
The BBC is putting tens of millions of pounds towards chasing pensioners for their license fee payments as the corporation has said it plans to ‘enforce the law’.
And bailiffs could even be sent into the homes to seize and sell their possessions if ministers decide to support replacing the criminal sanction for licence-fee evasion with a civil penalty.
New call centres manned by 800 staff are being set up to deal with questions and some expected resistance from the over-75s about the fee.It is estimated that it will cost the BBC £38 million in the first year and £13 million in subsequent years, reported The Daily Telegraph.
The BBC is putting tens of millions of pounds towards chasing pensioners for their license fee payments as the corporation has said it plans to ¿enforce the law¿ (stock photo)
The BBC is putting tens of millions of pounds towards chasing pensioners for their license fee payments as the corporation has said it plans to ‘enforce the law’ (stock photo)
Over the next five years setting up the additional services to make sure people pay their license fee will cost £90 million.
There are around 4.5 million over 75s who will have to pay the licence fee this year. If all of them do it will bring in around £700 million to the corporation’s coffers.
However the BBC faces a humiliating stand-off with tens of thousands of pensioners who ‘will not pay’ for a TV licence as result of its controversial new over-75s scheme.
A campaign group for pensioners revealed many thousands of older people could rebel against the fee.
The National Pensioners Convention predicted the ranks of those refusing to pay is likely to be swelled by pensioners under the age of 75 who would also not pay the charge in a show of ‘solidarity’. 
Bailiffs could even be sent into the homes to seize and sell their possessions if ministers decide to support replacing the criminal sanction for licence-fee evasion with a civil penalty
Bailiffs could even be sent into the homes to seize and sell their possessions if ministers decide to support replacing the criminal sanction for licence-fee evasion with a civil penalty
But charities have aired their concern about the prospect of bailiffs being used to enforce payment of the fee if it changed from a criminal offence to a civil penalty. 
Age campaigners told The Times that the prospect of debt collectors turning up at pensioners’ doors was 'distressing and frightening'.
And yesterday, charity Age UK criticised the BBC for sending out 'long and complex' letters to the over-75s about its new TV licence scheme.The documents fail to make it clear when the elderly will get a demand for payment after millions lost their right to a free licence.
The changes in who pays the licence fee came into force on August 1 but the broadcaster has only just sent out the first letters telling the elderly what to do.
They will tell pensioners that if the BBC has not heard from them within two months, their licence will be cancelled automatically. 
Bosses intended to launch the scheme in June but delayed it because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

What will the letter to the over-75s about the new TV licence say?

The letter will tell pensioners that their licence will cover them from August 1 to the end of July next year.
But it says those spreading the cost of the licence will have to do so over a shorter period 'for this licence only'. 
These payments will depend on 'when you respond and how long it takes us to set up your payment plan'.
It adds if it has not heard from them within two months of them getting the letter their licence will be 'cancelled automatically without charge.' 
If people contact TV Licensing after the licence has been cancelled to say they need one, the new licence will be 'backdated to 1st August 2020' and they would need to 'pay the full licence fee over the duration of the new licence'.Age UK criticised the switch as 'complex' and described the 'bundle of papers' explaining it as 'quite long'. 
It warned that those with dementia would face particular problems. 
Charity director Caroline Abrahams said: 'The BBC can't be criticised for not giving older people much information about their new TV licence scheme but the problem is their plan is complex and the bundle of papers explaining it quite long.
'It's likely that some older people will get lost in the detail and wonder what they are supposed to do. 
'The over-75 population is hugely diverse so while some will no doubt navigate the documentation with ease, others may find this impossibly hard.
'If they have families or friends to help, that will make a big difference but there are many older people on their own who cannot rely on support.
'The BBC's pack omits the one piece of information many older people will most want to see: When they are likely to receive a letter asking them to pay. 
'In the absence of this, some will be concerned that they have somehow missed their letter and are liable to be found at fault.'
She said others will be 'adamant' they are not going to pay for a licence 'come what may'.
The community organisation Silver Voices is urging all over-60s to cancel their TV licence direct debits and instead offer to pay with monthly, backdated cheques.
The aim is cause chaos for TV Licensing's administration systems, which will make collection and enforcement unworkable - but avoid protesters risking prosecution by refusing to pay.
A group spokesman told The Times: 'It defies belief that, as a second wave of coronavirus marches over the horizon, the BBC are doing this. It shows a lack of compassion, a lack of empathy, a lack of understanding.'
And Jan Shortt, of the National Pensioners Convention, added: 'We cannot condone people breaking the law. But, individually, each member will take their own choice. There will be people who refuse to pay.'The BBC says it has 800 additional staff to deal with queries from the over-75s and has dealt with more than 300,000 calls on the issue since March.
A spokesman said: 'Over-75s will start to receive letters about how to set up their new TV licence from today.
'No one needs to do anything until they have the letter, whether that's paying or applying for a free licence, and no one needs to leave their home. 
'We are also working with hundreds of money advice and community organisations to reach older people.'
The BBC said 450,000 older viewers have applied for a free licence and those who have to pay can choose instalments.

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