BBC executives have been chastised for sending Christmas letters to elderly people who have not paid their TV licence fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than 200,000 people are still refusing to pay after the corporation took away their right to watch free television two years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Silver Voices, over-75s have been warned in new letters that they face prosecution for failing to pay the \u00a3159 annual bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After several months of “relative calm,” TV Licensing is “turning the screw again,” according to its director Dennis Reed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Members have reported receiving the standard TV Licensing letter, threatening fines of up to \u00a31,000, rather than letters urging them to seek financial assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr Reed added: \u201cThe BBC has not changed its enforcement policies in any way to recognise the extreme hardship that many households are under.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat is the point of criminalising families over a debt of \u00a3159, when watching the TV will be one of the few pleasures they have over the festive period?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Government must now get tough with BBC executives and make clear that if they continue prosecuting and threatening vulnerable families during the cost-of-living crisis, consideration of decriminalisation of licence fee evasion will be brought forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BBC executives have been chastised for sending Christmas letters to elderly people who have not paid their TV licence fee. More than 200,000 people are still refusing to pay after … <\/p>\n