Dewsbury Labour Party This is the official website of Dewsbury Labour Party. We are fighting for a fairer Dewsbury and a fairer country.
Denby Dale Labour councillor Will Simpson has spearheaded Kirklees Council’s opposition to the Government on their removal of the free TV license for over 75s.
The free TV licence was introduced by Labour in 1999 as part of a plan to improve conditions for pensioners, with the cost funded by government.
The Conservatives announced that they would remove this government provision in 2015 – despite their manifesto promise to continue funding the scheme.
They forced the financial burden of the scheme on to the BBC, whilst demanding ‘savings’ and making them wholly reliant on their own revenue.
In 2017 the Tories again promised to keep the TV license for pensioners.
Boris Johnson’s Government has explicitly dropped that commitment and repeatedly refused to U-turn.
He has instead sought to blame the BBC for what has been a Government policy and funding decision.
Cllr Simpson described the Government’s handling of the issue as ‘cold, callous and fundamentally dishonest.’
He commented:
‘If the Government wanted to protect the free TV license for our over 75s, they could do it today
It took a sustained campaign of public shaming for the Government to agree that children shouldn’t starve over the summer holidays – I certainly hope they change their mind again on this.
‘Without a change of heart from the Prime Minister, tens of thousands of pensioners in Kirklees will be worse off, including 9,200 of our poorest and most vulnerable pensioners, who currently don’t get the Pension Credit they are entitled to.’
Age UK have described the decision as ‘a kick in the teeth during a terrible year’.
Jan Shortt of the National Pensioners Convention said: “When the Chancellor can give millions and millions of people a cut-price meal, it’s difficult to believe they can’t give the over-75s a free TV licence.”
Cllr Simpson has also called for action to improve access to Pension Credit for vulnerable older people in Kirklees.
Currently, £21m of support for Kirklees’ most vulnerable pensioners is being held by the Treasury every year due to barriers to accessing Pension Credit, according to Independent Age.
These 9,200 vulnerable Kirklees pensioners will now also lose their free TV licences due to the Conservative’s removal of Labour’s protection.
Cllr Simpson successfully passed a motion at a full meeting of Kirklees Council in January opposing the Government’s position, writing to the Prime Minister to call for a Government U-turn and to reform Pension Credit to ensure that vulnerable older people receive the support they need.
The motion was supported by Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and the Independents. The Conservatives voted against the motion.
Full Council Motion proposed by Cllr Simpson, seconded by Cllr Pandor. Passed.
“This Council;
- believes that the abolition of free TV licences is a terrible blow to many vulnerable older people who already struggle to make ends meet and particularly to those who are housebound or isolated and rely on their TV for company
- notes the pledge made in the Conservative Party 2017 manifesto to fully fund the TV licence for all over 75s
- notes the Independent Age Credit ‘Credit Where It’s Due’ campaign report, which found that £21m of support for Kirklees’ most vulnerable pensioners is being held back by the barriers to accessing Pension Credit
- does not believe it is acceptable that almost half of all pensioners in Kirklees who are entitled to Pension Credit do not receive it. These vulnerable older residents will also now lose their free TV licences and will be pushed further into deprivation
- to write to the new Prime Minister to outline the unacceptable effect that this policy will have on Kirklees’ most vulnerable pensioners and call upon him to back the ‘Credit Where It’s Due’ campaign to reform Pension Credit to better support Kirklees’ most vulnerable older residents
- to use opportunities that exist within the Council to promote the availability of Pension Credit to residents to ensure as many residents as possible are aware of its availability.”
Votes for:
– Labour Group
– Liberal Democrat Group
– Green Group
– Independents
Votes Against
– Conservative Group