Free TV licences for over-75s may be a possibility
GUERNSEY residents could benefit from proposed changes in the UK whereby the BBC will cover the cost of providing free television licences for over-75s from around 2018.
Currently the Social Security Department spends £600,000 a year covering the licence costs for local pensioners, but the Personal Tax, Pension and Benefits Review suggests scrapping that funding, with the over-75s paying for it themselves.
Now, however, with the recent development in the UK, it looks as if elderly islanders may escape paying in the future.
A spokesman for Social Security said: 'In the Personal Tax and Benefits proposals, Social Security and Treasury and Resources gave their opinion that free TV licences for people over 75 should be phased out between 2016 and 2020.
'Although the States have noted that opinion, so far no firm decision to put it into effect has been put to the States.
'The recent announcement of the proposed change in the UK, with a requirement that the BBC should bear the cost of the free licences for over-75s, may well change the position locally.
'Enquiries are being made of the UK authorities as to how the revised arrangements will apply to Guernsey residents.'
