THE BBC has halted plans to charge pensioners for a television licence amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The broadcaster and the government released a joint statement this afternoon confirming the fee will not come in to force until August.

Millions of over-75s had been sent letters asking them to pay the £157 bill by June to legally continue watching TV.

However now the plans have been delayed, with BBC bosses and the government agreeing they should not implement the charges at a time when elderly people may be staying at home more often, and who will rely more heavily on TV for public health updates than, for example, social media.

Sir David Clementi, Chairman of the BBC board, said: "The BBC board has decided to delay changes to over-75s licence fees.  We are in exceptional circumstances. Now is not the right time. We are fully focussed on delivering our services to the public at this difficult time.”

Oliver Dowden, the UK Culture Secretary, said: "I am pleased the BBC has worked with us and agreed to delay their licence fee changes for over 75s from coming in and will keep this under review.

"It will be welcome news to millions of older people who now don't need to worry about their TV licence during this challenging period.  It is right that the BBC have recognised the exceptional circumstances posed by the coronavirus outbreak and the need for the whole country to pull together in the national effort." 

The move has been welcomed by opposition politicians and peers, with many arguing the plans should not be reinstated.

Tracy Brabin MP, Labour's Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said "While it makes sense to delay the introduction of TV licence fee charges for the over 75s because of the coronavirus, they should not be charged at all and the plans should be scrapped entirely.

"In the testing months ahead, we will all need our public service broadcasters to be a source of reliable information, as well as entertainment, as the numbers of those self-isolating grows."

Lord George Foulkes, Labour Peer, has been campaigining for the plan to be scrapped for some time. 

He told The Herald the latest development was a "step in the right direction" adding: "But I will continue to campaign for them to drop the whole thing."

Jamie Stone, Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said that "sense has prevailed".

He said: "This is an issue that has worried me greatly. I will continue to demand that the Government ensures this measure extends well beyond August.

“The over-75s should not have had to worry about their TV licenses in the first place, but I appreciate that the Government and BBC recognises the importance of the concession during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I will continue to call on the Government to ensure the BBC is not forced to demand license fees from the over 75s later on in the year.”