{"id":19129,"date":"2019-09-30T16:18:44","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T15:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=19129"},"modified":"2020-11-12T12:55:09","modified_gmt":"2020-11-12T12:55:09","slug":"pensioners-uk-protest-free-tv-licence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=19129","title":{"rendered":"‘Vital lifeline’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pensioners across the UK will be protesting tomorrow (October 1) over the decision that the over 75s will lose their right to a free TV licence next June, unless they claim pension credit.<\/p>\n

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Unite, Britain and Ireland\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s largest union, has organised 12 demonstrations as part of its campaign to get the UK government to step in and give all over 75s a free TV licence \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the protests coincide with the UN International Day for Older Persons tomorrow.<\/p>\n

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Unite said that if the government does not back down the best way for the over 75s to obtain a free licence is to claim pension credit. Details to do this can be found here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Unite said that the over 75s \u00e2\u20ac\u201c some of the most vulnerable people in society \u00e2\u20ac\u201c were caught in \u00e2\u20ac\u0098an unseemly tug of war\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 between the BBC and Tory ministers as to how the corporation is funded.<\/p>\n

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Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt is disgraceful that the over 75s, some of the most vulnerable people in society, are soon to lose the right to a free TV licence.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThey are victims of a cynical move by the then Tory chancellor, George Osborne, to push the cost of provision onto the BBC.\u00c2\u00a0 This was unfair and unacceptable as it is the role of UK government, not the BBC, to support pensioners.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIn June 2020, pensioners over the age of 75 will lose their right to a free TV licence, unless they claim pension credit. Unite is demanding that the UK government steps in and gives all over 75s a free TV licence.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe right to a TV licence should not be means tested. Many elderly people rely on their TV for company and entertainment, especially those who are housebound or live alone \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it is a vital lifeline that enhances their quality of life.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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The 12 demonstrations are at:<\/p>\n

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London: College Green, opposite Parliament, Westminster at 13.00<\/p>\n

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Manchester: \u00e2\u20ac\u201c outside Tory party conference \u00e2\u20ac\u201cLocation: Designated protest area by Manchester library and opposite Midland Hotel where Tory conference is being held. Time: 12.00<\/p>\n

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Cardiff: Cardiff Central train station next to BBC headquarters – 07:30-09.00 and at\u00c2\u00a016.30-18.00 (with banners) \u00e2\u20ac\u201c plus Cardiff\u00c2\u00a0 photo opportunity – 12.20 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00c2\u00a0Unite Cardiff regional office, 1 Cathedral Road CF11 9SD<\/p>\n

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Belfast – protest outside the BBC in Ormeau Avenue, Belfast at 11.00.<\/p>\n

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Bristol: BBC Bristol, Broadcasting House, Whiteladies Road, Bristol at 12.00<\/p>\n

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Leeds: Briggate, 11.00- 14.00<\/p>\n

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Newcastle: to be confirmed<\/p>\n

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Worthing: \u00c2\u00a0outside Lloyd\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Bank, South Street, Worthing, BN11 3AU at 12.00-13.00.<\/p>\n

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Sittingbourne: Sittingbourne Library, ME10 4AH at 11.00<\/p>\n

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Southampton: outside West Quay shopping centre, Above Bar Street, Southampton, SO14 7DS at 11.00<\/p>\n

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South Elmsall (West Yorkshire): Market Place, Barnsley Road, South Elmsall, WF9 2SE at 10.30-11.30, with Labour\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Trickett<\/p>\n

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York: Samson Square, YO1 8RN at 10.30<\/p>\n

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The day of action is being organised by the Unite Retired Members committee and Unite Community to pressurise ministers to bring back free TV licences for the over 75s.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pensioners across the UK will be protesting tomorrow (October 1) over the decision that the over 75s will lose their right to a free TV licence next June, unless they claim pension credit.   Unite, Britain and Ireland\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s largest union, has organised 12 demonstrations as part of its campaign to get the UK government to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18218,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[173,1240],"wps_subtitle":"Pensioners in UK-wide protests over loss of free TV licence for over 75s","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19129"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19129"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24952,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19129\/revisions\/24952"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}