YOU CAN STICK YOUR TEA AND BISCUITS, PROTESTERS VENT THEIR ANGER ON THE BBC'S DOORSTEP OVER PENSIONERS LICENCE CHANGES

An impromptu gathering outside the headquarters of the BBC in MediaCity, saw a well attended crowd gather to demand that coming changes to TV licencing for the 75's and over are shelved.

The unpopular move by the BBC would see means testing employed to determine the eligibility of pensioners for a concessionary licence. 

Under previous legislation, anyone aged 75 or over could apply for a concessionary licence but now that is all set to change as the new ruling will mean that only those pensioners in receipt of pension credit will be eligible.

In 2015 the Conservative government, guided by George Osborne, struck a deal under which the subsidy would be phased out by 2020, with the broadcaster having to shoulder the cost of free TV licences.

This will result in an estimated 3 million+ elderly people losing out on their free licence once the new scheme takes effect on the 1st of June 2020.

Unite the Union stood shoulder to shoulder with Salford Pensioners Association and the GMB's Retired Members Association to send a powerful message to the bosses at the BBC.

The peaceful protest saw a number of speeches given by local campaigners, one of whom is a familiar face in Salford, (Media) Maria Brabiner who has been at the forefront of campaigning against what is now universally termed the bedroom tax.

Maria was visibly angry over the coming changes and told us it is an absolute disgrace that from next year pensioners will be faced with losing their concessionary licences.

She said,

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"Make no mistake, if they (The Tories) get away with this, they will go on to target the free bus passes and the winter fuel allowance. It won't just stop at the TV Licences. 

"The Tories have broken yet another election pledge and more and more we are seeing pensioners forced to struggle after paying tax into the system all of their lives.

"For all their faults, Labour introduced the licence concession in 1999 when Gordon Brown announced that the government would foot the bill, now that move forward has been rolled back by a cost cutting greedy government which once more see's the elderly as an easy target."

During the protest the BBC turned on the charm offensive by sending down a trolley filled with tea and biscuits for the gathered crowd, an offer which was promptly refused by all.

One lady cheekily responded by saying that the gesture by the BBC was part funded by the £154.50 per year she has to pay.

Several people we spoke too were quick to note that they laid the blame squarely with the Government who were responsible for the removal of the funding which covered the costs.

One man said,

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"I don't place the blame upon the BBC, it is not they who made the decision to stop funding, that decision lies firmly with the Conservative Government and it is they who my anger is aimed at."

Another responded saying,

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"The BBC may not be responsible for the cuts but they are responsible for carrying them out, they rake in billions each year in licence fee's and that would more than enough to cover the cost if they stopped paying such extortionate wages and wasting the public's hard earned money, it's about time the whole fee system was abolished and the BBC forced to live in the real world like the rest of us."

Chants of shame on you and down with the Tories, down with the BBC, were heard resonating around the square and after the speeches were made, the crowd peacefully dispersed soon after.