Britons to REFUSE to hand above bank statements to BBC – ‘Invasion of privateness!’ | British isles | News

Subsequent the BBC’s determination to scrap free Television set licence for the over-75s, which arrived into result from August 1, it has emerged some pensioners ended up questioned to send out financial institution statements in the article to verify they were exempt from the £157.50 annual charge. People who get pension credit are exempt from shelling out the charge, and officials instructed some over-75s to ship the non-public document to establish they obtain the benefit.

The transfer has been closely condemned, but the BBC explained Tv set Licensing offices had been not “actively looking for financial institution statements”.

In reaction to the measures, Convey.co.uk questioned its readers if they would be joyful to deliver their lender statements in the article – and the overwhelming greater part reported no.

The poll, carried out from 4pm-10pm on August 2, requested: “Would you be content to supply your lender statements to the BBC?”

A whopping 98 percent (5,494 people) of the 5,670 respondents voted “no”, with just two per cent (150 men and women) saying “certainly”.

Underneath one % of respondents (26 people today) voted “you should not know”.

Viewers then to the feedback to make clear why they have voted from sending their bank statements in the submit.

One person closely condemned the transfer, and wrote: “This is an invasion of people’s privacy, the only persons who can inquire to see our Bank statements are the Govt, why do not they publish all BBC personnel salaries so we can see the place all the income from the Television set tax goes that would be a greater answer to the Tv licence.”

A further consumer agreed and mentioned: “A far better notion would be if we were being to see the BBC staff and contractors incomes and see if they really worth paying so a lot.”

A 3rd reader strike out at the measure as an “insult” and instructed all those influenced contact their MP.

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Another wrote: “Guidance the pensioners by defunding the BBC, it is the only way they will pay attention.”

A 3rd simply just wrote: “Do not pay out it.”

A BBC spokesperson said: “We’re creating right to more than 75s homes and they do not will need to do something till they have been given a letter from us.

“This letter will evidently established out what the receiver requires to do up coming and give obtainable formats together with for people who are deaf, difficult of hearing or speech impaired, as very well as access to a text company.

“If more mature people really don’t desire to go away their household or can’t go on the internet, get in touch with centre employees will prioritise a verbal declaration process to determine if buyers are in recipient of Pension Credit.

“We are also offering all in excess of 75s a lot of time to possibly established up a payment strategy or to assert a no cost licence if they are qualified.

“In either situation, no a single requirements to leave their property.

“Television Licensing are not actively trying to find bank statements – this is basically an possibility and we really don’t anticipate to make quite substantially use of it. The Television Licensing crew acquire extraordinary care with personalized info and have a vast vary of steps in position to guard it.”