BBC Licence Fee Non-Payment (Decriminalisation for Over-75s) Bill

Key Points

• Aims to de-criminalise non-payment of the BBC licence fee for people aged over 75.
• Applies specifically to those aged over 75; current rules for others are unchanged.
• Criminal penalties for non-payment would be removed for the over-75s; non-criminal enforcement methods would be used instead.
• The bill does not alter the licence fee amount or general eligibility rules for other groups.
• Introduced in the House of Commons by Sir Christopher Chope and is at Second Reading.

Progress

The bill is at the second reading stage in the House of Commons and has not yet moved to committee or the Lords; it would need further parliamentary stages to become law.