It has been announced that the BBC will demand that pensioners who cannot pay their TV licence will have to supply with them with their bank statements.
Campaigners have said that the over 75s could be at high risk of identity or fraud.
Caroline Abrahams director of Age UK said, “It will be extremely frustrating for older people to hear how potentially risky the process of applying for a free licence may be.
“Creating and sending copies of personal and sensitive financial material can expose older people to ID theft and fraud.”
Conservative MP Esther McVey was shocked and responded with, “Surely not?! Security alert.”
Labour peer Lord Faulks of Cumnock called the latest shocking announcement as “farcical.”
Lord Faulks added, “We said that this would be a logistical nightmare, and that has proved to be the case.
“This has also caused considerable worry for elderly people who are already worried about how they will pay for their licence.”
Age UK said that around half a million pensioners are totally unaware that they may be eligible for a free licence.
Many pensioners are unaware that if they are on pension credits then they are exempt for paying the £157.50 licence fee.
Abrahams, of Age UK said, “As things stand, more than half a million of the poorest pensioners will still have to pay for a licence.
“This will mean they will have to cut spending on other essentials like food or heating, give up TV altogether, or keep watching without a licence, in breach of the law.
“Plus, there’s the over-75s whose income is just a few pounds or even pence too high for them to qualify for pension credit.
“As the disastrous impact of the BBC’s plan on some of our ‘oldest old’ becomes apparent, we hope this will bring the corporation and the Government back to the table.”
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