'We know that those over 65 or 75 consume more BBC services than others...'
Pensioners may get a free bus pass and the joy of retirement, but it seems that those of a certain age may soon no longer enjoy a free TV licence.
After phasing out the government's responsibility of providing free licences for the over-75s, the BBC has now confirmed that it will review the scheme in 2020 when it has sole control.
The current setup, which is expected to cost the Beeb £725 million in total, means that those who are over 75 and need a licence to watch the telly are waived the annual fee.
Speaking to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, the BBC's director general Lord Hall explained that the board had to "decide what to place [the scheme] with".
"We have got to be mindful," he said (via What's on TV). "We know that those over 65 or over 75 consume many, many more BBC services than others…
"There is real hardship among some or many of those over 75 too," he added.
Lord Hall is said to have told MPs that a public consultation will go ahead before any final decision is made, and also reiterated that there are "a whole load of options" on the table.
Talking about the alternative to free TV licences, Lord Hall said: "It could be the same. The board could say, 'We will just continue with it as it is'. It could be reformed...
"We are just not in a position to say what the right option will be [at the moment]. We have got to have a public consultation about what we do."
Currently, the licence fee is £150.50 per year, after it increased £3.50 in line with inflation earlier this year.
