Free TV licenses will officially be scrapped for over 75s from August

9 July 2020, 12:20 | Updated: 9 July 2020, 13:04

Pensioners will lose out massively as the BBC is to go ahead with the plan to end free TV licenses.

Following a two-month delay because of the coronavirus pandemic, the BBC has confirmed that it will be going ahead with plans to scrap free TV licences for over 75s.

The gutting news means that from next month, more than 3m households will now be asked to start paying £157.50 a year for the license.

Read More: When do the TV license rules change for over 75s and who is exempt from paying?

For many over 75s, their TV is their main or only source of entertainment, so it will be unwelcome news for those who cannot afford it.

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From August 1, only households where someone receives the Pension Credit benefit will still be eligible for a free licence.

This controversial move was set to come into play originally on June 1, however, due to the coronavirus it was put on hold.

The BBC stated that this delay cost them £35m a month, with it reaching a potential of £1b a year over some time due to an ageing population.

Making no changes would've apparently led the BBC to "unprecedented closures" of services, it warned.