PIERS Morgan has offered to pay the TV licence for a D-Day veteran who flirted with Melania Trump after BBC stripped back TV licence concessions. The Good Morning Britain host said he was furious at the changes, which will hit the pockets of 3.7million pensioners. And he was disgusted to discover a recent GMB guest, […]
PIERS Morgan has offered to pay the TV licence for a D-Day veteran who flirted with Melania Trump after BBC stripped back TV licence concessions.
The Good Morning Britain host said he was furious at the changes, which will hit the pockets of 3.7million pensioners.
And he was disgusted to discover a recent GMB guest, Thomas Cuthbert, would be among those to lose access to his BBC TV licence.
The 93-year-old had made headlines when he met Melania Trump during the D-Day anniversary commemorations – cheekily suggesting “if I was 20 years younger” in front of the US President.
And he endeared himself to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid yesterday as he joked he didn’t know what had come over him during the meeting.
Mr Cuthbert’s daughter today called into the morning show to reveal her dad would lose his BBC TV licence concessions – despite having been honoured just last week for his involvement in the D-Day landings.
She said: “He’s going to be pretty angry – the veterans, all the elderly depend on the TV. It’s their lifeline.
“It makes you wonder what they are going to do next to them.”
She said the family would hopefully chip in to help cover the cost, but added: “He will possibly have to make choices.”
Take it from me – I will pay for his licence
Piers Morgan
But at that moment, Piers Morgan stepped in – vowing he would be the one to help the D-Day vet.
He said: “I will pay his TV licence as long as he needs. Whatever happens – he moved us so much.
“Take it from me – I will pay for his licence.”
The morning show was today inundated with calls from those affected by the changes – with one woman reduced to tears.
The elderly woman, Josephine, blasted: “It’s disgraceful. Stop penalising the elderly.”
At present a TV licence costs £154.50 for a colour TV.
BBC bosses have axed the free licences for the over-75s — hitting the pockets of 3.7million pensioners.
The broadcaster was set to take on the financial burden of providing free licences for over-75s from the Government in 2020.
After a review, the concession will now be available only to households receiving pension credit.
The changes means BBC TV licence concessions will only be available to households with pension credit.
Charities have flagged concerns that the move will push the poorest in society into poverty.
Charity AgeUK slammed the move, with charity director Caroline Abrahams saying: “We are going to see sick and disabled people in their eighties and nineties who are completely dependent on their cherished TV for companionship and news, forced to give it up.”
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was “very disappointed” with the decision and urged the BBC to look again.
MoneySavingExpert founder Martin Lewis said that pension credit is one of the least claimed benefits, with “many vulnerable older people missing out”.
He added: “I hope the BBC will launch a campaign to push the take up of the benefit to coincide with this.”
Experts also fear the move will penalise those with small savings pots.
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