The announcement from the BBC to abolish the freebie for pensioners last week has sparked fury, with hundreds of thousands of people signing online petitions to get the broadcaster to reverse the decision.

More than one million UK households will still receive free TV licences, but around 3.7 million pensioners aged over 75 will lose that entitlement. 

Under the new rules, only low-income households where one person receives pension credit benefit would be eligible for a free television licence.

This means from June 2020, up to 3.7 million pensioners across the country will have to pay the £154.50 fee every year should they want to watch television.

It is thought 1.5 million households will be eligible for the free licence under the new scheme, which will cost the BBC around £250 million by 2021/22 depending on the take-up.

But the Irish Government has confirmed it has no plans to follow this route, where the Household Benefits Package includes a free TV licence for people over 70.

A spokesman for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection told the Sunday Independent: “There are no plans to amend this provision.” 

The department provides free TV licences to those who receive the Household Benefits Package. 

The spokesman confirmed the department “pays a contribution” to the Department of Communications in respect of those free licences. 

Age Action Ireland, which campaigns for older people at a national level, warned the elderly are more fearful to any benefits that are taken away from them. 

Spokeswoman Celine Clarke said they are “naturally fearful of any reductions in their pension and secondary benefits, increasing charges across a range of sectors, and their ability to pay their bills”. 

She added those relying on the contributory State Pension and receiving all secondary support, their income has only improved slightly in real terms by €7.89 per week over the past decade. 

The spokeswoman said: “The cost of a TV licence is prohibitive for many older people who rely on public transfers and it would be very unfair to expect them to meet that cost or go without a TV. 

“A lot of older people rely on a TV for information and entertainment especially as half of Irish people aged between 65 and 74 have never used the internet.

“Internet use among those aged over 75 is negligible.”

The decision from the BBC to scrap free TV licence fees for people over the age of 75 has sparked fury from across the board.

Theresa May has urged the taxpayer-funded corporation to rethink its decision

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “We are very disappointed with this decision.

“We have been clear that we expected the BBC to continue this concession. We want the BBC to look again at ways of supporting older people.”

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned the changes to free TV licences for the elderly could push pensioners into criminality.

The Labour politician said that the BBC’s decision was an attack on the poorest, and “taxation without representation”.

But BBC Director-General Tony Hall described it as a “difficult” decision” but the “fairest for the poorest pensioner”. 

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