LESLEY Laird MP has slammed the UK Government as “utterly heartless” over the scrapping of free TV licences for over 75s.

She said that while the final decision was down to the BBC, the Tories were breaking a manifesto commitment by allowing it to happen.

From June 2020, only over 75s who are in receipt of pension credit will be eligible for a free licence.

Ms Laird, the Labour MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, said: “If this government continues to sit back and merely watch from the sidelines while free licences are scrapped for the over 75s, they’ll break their 2017 manifesto commitment and reveal themselves for what they are – utterly heartless.”

The current TV licence costs £154.50 and the benefit was introduced in November 2000, when the Department for Work and Pensions agreed to pay the government directly for TV licences for those over the age of 75.

That scheme – which is expected to cost £745 million by 2021/22 – comes to an end in 2020.

Responsibility for funding licences was passed from the government to the BBC in 2015 and the corporation has been consulting on its future.

The BBC said: “The board believes this is the fairest option to help the poorest pensioners.

“It is also the fairest option for all licence fee payers as this means everyone will continue to receive the best programmes and services that the BBC can provide.

“Over 1.5 million households could get free TV licences if someone is over 75 and receives pension credit.The new scheme will cost the BBC up to £250m by 2021/22 depending on implementation.”

Ms Laird added: “The report commissioned by the BBC last year shows that only 11 per cent of the poorest tenth of households currently receiving the free licence would actually keep it under means-testing.

“The BBC understood that yet – incredibly – cut the benefit anyway. Under what circumstances did they ever think such a scheme could be considered fair?

“Taking the free TV licence away from pensioners looks downright petty, but it’s much, much worse than that.

"As a result of this decision, thousands of pensioners will have to forego heating or food just to be able to watch a TV for some company. It’s time this government kept its commitment, grew a conscience and acted to reverse this decision – right now.”

Dunfermline and West Fife MP, Douglas Chapman, said: “I am disgusted by the decision to scrap free TV licences for over-75s – these are the most vulnerable people in our society.

“The whole point of free licences was to keep pensioners out of poverty and this policy will inevitably force some older people into some difficult decisions so they can afford to keep themselves warm and eat.

“For some, the television can be their only companion and some could lose that.”

Peter Grant, MP for Glenrothes, added: “The free TV licence is a social benefit. It should be funded by the government from the taxes that better off people pay.

“It was wrong for the government and the BBC to agree that the BBC should fund it using other licence payers’ money.

“That abdication of responsibility by the government was clearly designed to make it easier to scrap the free licence later.”

Alex Rowley, Mid Scotland and Fife MSP, called on Theresa May to reverse the decision and said: “People who have paid their TV licence all their lives are surely not the people to attack by ending their accesses to a free TV licence.

“This shows the true face of conservatism and why people cannot trust the Tories. If they are willing to attack pensioners whilst giving tax handouts to the rich and big corporations then what chance is there to tackle the big issues impacting on our communities?”

The Scottish Conservatives spokesman, Jeremy Balfour MSP, said: “I’m very disappointed in the decision by the BBC. This is a real setback for older people and I would hope they will reconsider and allow people over 75 to have the free TV licence on a universal basis.

“This decision was delegated to the BBC but it was always on the understanding that free TV licences for over 75s would continue.

“The BBC have to look at their pay structures and priorities before attacking some of the most vulnerable members of society. They’ve let us down.”