BBC threatens pensioners with bailiffs if they don't pay the licence fee

The BBC is putting tens of millions of pounds towards chasing pensioners for their license fee payments as the corporation has said it plans to ‘enforce the law’.

And bailiffs could even be sent into the homes to seize and sell their possessions if ministers decide to support replacing the criminal sanction for licence-fee evasion with a civil penalty.

New call centres manned by 800 staff are being set up to deal with questions and some expected resistance from the over-75s about the fee.

It is estimated that it will cost the BBC £38 million in the first year and £13 million in subsequent years

Over the next five years setting up the additional services to make sure people pay their license fee will cost £90 million.

There are around 4.5 million over 75s who will have to pay the licence fee this year. If all of them do it will bring in around £700 million to the corporation’s coffers.

The changes in who pays the licence fee came into force on August 1 but the broadcaster has only just sent out the first letters telling the elderly what to do.

They will tell pensioners that if the BBC has not heard from them within two months, their licence will be cancelled automatically.