THE over 75s, except those on pension credit, have to pay for a television licence.

In November last year, the Prime Minister pledged to save the free licence. Later it was debated as to whether prosecutions for non-payment would take place.

In July, while the country is still coping with the pandemic and just as Parliament breaks up for the summer holiday the BBC announced it would be collecting the fees from August 1. The BBC has appointed Capita as debt collector.

Why hasn’t the government stopped this happening? A promise is a promise and a broken promise is one that will be remembered, four years in politics is not a long time and 4.5 million voting pensioners will vent their wrath.

So what is the Government doing, is our local MP aware not only of the hardship some people will face but of any action to stop the BBC going ahead clawing money from those least able to afford it just to cover their own bad housekeeping.

CHRIS CHERRY Bridport