'MY HEART BREAKS FOR YOU'
Susanna Reid has tears in her eyes after crying OAP calls in about TV licence changes
SUSANNA Reid fought tears this morning as she welled up listening to a distressed OAP about what the BBC licence fee changes will mean to her.
She told Josephine Iron "my heart breaks for you" as the elderly woman wept on Good Morning Britain following yesterday's announcement to scrap free licences.
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The changes means BBC TV licence concessions - currently free to over 75s - will only be available to households with pension credit.
Around 3.7million pensioners will be hit with the change, and will have to fork out £154.50 a year.
Emotional Mrs Iron, who pays for her dementia suffering husband's licence in a care home, said: "It will mean an awful lot to me as that would be £25 a month coming out of our joint pension, we are self-funding, in the residential care home.
"He gets no pension credit, they've taken all of his attendance allowance when he went in.
"So what happens to people like us then, I have to pay that. he watches the telly most of the day bless him. So you're taking away that and you're also penalising me.
"You're penalising my husband for being as sick as he is.
"It's disgraceful because you need to do this Susanna, you need to do this for us, that's not fair."
Susanna's eyes filled with tears and she shook her head as she listening to Mrs Iron become upset about the proposed changes.
The host said: "Josephine it's an outrage that someone like you with everything you already face is reduced to tears this morning because of this decision, it's absolutely shocking, my heart breaks for you."
Adding: "Good luck Josephine we send you all our love and support."
T-FEE LICENCE What changes has the BBC confirmed for 2019?
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.
Piers asked Mrs Iron what she would say to Lord Hall, director-general of the BBC, and she said: "Get into the real world and listen to the people like us out here.
"You're old fashioned, get into the real world stop penalising the elderly people."
Earlier today 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.
Piers said: "I will pay his TV licence as long as he needs. Whatever happens - he moved us so much.
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."
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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.
A BBC spokesperson said: “Supporting vulnerable people is an absolute priority and many residents of residential care homes, supported housing or sheltered accommodation already benefit from a discounted TV Licence costing just £7.50 and this will still be the case.
"Our new scheme for over 75s will protect the poorest pensioners and we’ll provide additional support for vulnerable customers - while protecting BBC services which they value for companionship."
They added they would be working with organisation supporting older people, and offering assistance to elderly people with outreach programmes, as well as a pay as you go payment plan.
Piers Morgan slams BBC for scrapping free TV licences for pensioners saying they should 'U-turn and cave on this'
Piers Morgan vows to pay for D-day veteran Thomas Cuthbert's BBC licence fee
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