Up to 750,000 older people have refused to pay for a television licence after losing their right to a free one, figures suggest.
That equates to a £117 million deficit for the BBC, which scrapped free licences for over-75s last August.
A refusal to pay the £157.50 annual fee can result in a £1,000 fine and a prison sentence of three to six months.
Dennis Reed, director of the pensioner campaign group Silver Voices, said: “There are a hard core who are resisting. The stalling is significant. The over-75s have suddenly been flooded with further reminder letters.
Some had three or four letters in the last couple of weeks reminding them their licences would be cancelled. They are desperate to get people to pay.
-THE TIMES (UK)