£50m OAP BILL IF FREE LICENCE IS SCRAPPED

SCRAPPING free TV licences for the over-75s would cost pensioners almost £50million, according to figures.

The Labour Party analysis shows that even if the threshold for free licences is raised to the over-80s, that would still cost older people nearly £20million.

The Tories vowed at the BY DAVID CLEGG 2017 election to keep it free for the length of this Parliament, due to run till 2022.

But in 2015, they made a deal giving the BBC responsibility for funding the benefit, costing £745million a year, from June 2020.

Options put forward by the BBC include scrapping the scheme, replacing it with a 50 per cent concession for all over-75s, lifting the threshold for eligibility to 77 or 80, or means-testing so those who get pension credits are able to claim it.

The Labour analysis revealed scrapping the scheme would cost Scots £49,500,955, lifting the eligibility threshold to 80-year-olds would cost £19,932,220 or means testing linked to pension credits would cost £36,121,505.

Scottish Labour culture spokeswoman Claire Baker said: “The prospect of older people having to cut back on heating or food in order to keep their TV should leave the Tories examining their consciences.

“Theresa May’s manifesto promised TV licences for over-75s would be protected. If the Government had any compassion for older people, they would step in and save their free TV licences.”