Doorstep visits to a quarter of a million pensioners refusing to pay the £159 TV Licence fee are continuing despite rising health fears among those targeted.
Undeterred by an upsurge in coronavirus cases, an army of ‘enforcers’ is knocking on the doors of over-75s who have so far refused to pay for a licence. Many are arriving without a mask and are not bothering about social distancing.
Dennis Smith, a director of campaign group Silver Voices, says: ‘They are wolves in sheep’s clothing. It is a disgrace how the vulnerable are being hounded during a huge health crisis when many are self-isolating.’
An army of ‘enforcers’ is knocking on the doors of over-75s who have refused to pay TV licence
He adds: ‘The cost of these visits alone is probably more than the TV Licence fee they are demanding.’
The Mail on Sunday has been overwhelmed with emails and letters from over-75s refusing to pay the £159 levy – even if it means being sent to prison.
This follows the scrapping of the free licence fee for the elderly by the BBC in August last year. While most of the four million targeted have paid, up to 250,000 are refusing to be cowed.
Many are furious the BBC has broken a previous Government promise to always provide a free TV licence for the elderly.
A TV Licensing spokesman says: ‘We are closely following Government guidance. Our advisers receive safety training and must wear face coverings if invited indoors.’
