Pensioners across the UK have been left reeling by the BBC's announcement that over-75s will no longer be eligible for free TV licences as the BBC has refused to shoulder the costs from 2020.
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Free TV licences for over-75s were initially introduced by the Tony Blair-led Labour government back in 2000, as part of plans to cut poverty among pensioners. In 2015, the Conservative government decided to cut this funding, leaving it to the BBC to take on the cost of giving a free TV licence to all over-75s.
Now, though, the British Broadcasting Corporation have announced that they are unable to take on this cost, meaning that from 2020 pensioners will have to pay up £154.50 a year or face losing their television access.
Under the new rules, only those receiving pension credit - a weekly benefit which is paid by the government to pensioners on low incomes - will be exempt from paying. However, the plans have been heavily criticised by TV personalities and charities alike.
Age UK's charity director Caroline Abrahams says: 'Make no mistake, if this scheme goes ahead 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.'
Meanwhile, Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan has hit out at the BBC in a furious tirade. Take a look at the video above to see what he had to say...
