UK government urged to extend free TV licences to all pensioners as petition deadline nears

A petition calling for free television licences for all state pensioners has gathered roughly 48,000 signatures and will close on 21 July. If it reaches the 100,000‑signature threshold, it will be considered for a parliamentary debate, increasing pressure on Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The DCMS has responded to the petition’s earlier milestone of 10,000 signatures, stating it is "keeping an open mind" about new concessions but noting that no universal free licence for pensioners exists at present. Current concessions apply only to people over 75 who receive Pension Credit, those who are blind or severely sight‑impaired, and certain care‑home residents. The standard UK TV licence fee this year is £180, with a black‑and‑white option at £60. Universal free licences for the 3.7 million over‑75s were ended on 31 July 2020, with the BBC warning that extending them would have caused unprecedented closures.

The petition argues that many pensioners rely on television for companionship and that rising food and energy costs make the licence fee a hardship. The government remains committed to the current licence fee structure and its existing concessions until the end of the BBC Charter period in 2027.