WATCH: Loss of free TV licences 'taking away a lifeline'

The words of Knobby Clarke, who says plans for the BBC to restrict free TV licences for the over-75s will increase loneliness and illness among vulnerable elderly people.

From next June, around 3.7 million people in the UK will have to pay £154.50 for a licence after BBC bosses said they could no longer afford to fund the benefit.

Mr Clarke, who served in the Royal Signals for 22 years, met with fellow veterans and Labour deputy leader Tom Watson to discuss the issue at The Onneley Centre in Harborne, which is run by Age UK.

WATCH: Free TV licences are 'a lifeline'

The 72-year-old from Oldbury said he had spoken to dozens of affected pensioners at the town's branch Royal British Legion.

"People are very worried," he said. "If they lose the TV licence the older person and the sick person is going to lose out.

"For those with Alzheimer's the television is their clock, for some it is where they see the news and how they find out about what is going on in the outside world.

"A lot of people can't afford Sky or Virgin. We have paid our taxes all our lives. Why can't we have a free licence?"

Shadow culture secretary Mr Watson, the MP for West Bromwich East, is campaigning alongside Age UK in a bid to force Boris Johnson to reverse the move.

He has blamed the Conservative government for reneging on a 2017 manifesto promise to maintain free licences for the over-75s, a policy first brought in under Labour in 2000.

Under a charter agreement thrashed out with Conservative ministers in 2015, the BBC is due to assume responsibility for funding the commitment from 2020.

But bosses at the broadcaster say they cannot afford to continue to fund the free licences, which would cost £745m by 2021-22.

Under plans unveiled earlier this year the benefit will be means tested, with only those from low income households receiving it.

West Bromwich East MP Mr Watson said: "For me the big issue is that four out of 10 pensioners say that their TV is their only contact with the outside world from week to week.

"The tragedy in this country is that we have millions of pensioners living in loneliness, and there are 330,000 people across the West Midlands who are going to lose this free licence.

"It represents a government broken promise. If there's a general election next month, there will be a Labour manifesto pledge to maintain this free TV licence for all over-75s.

"I dare any political leader to defy the 3.7 million pensioners in the United Kingdom and take away these licences."

Mr Johnson has refused to budge on the issue, last week urging the BBC to "cough up" for the licences.

Former councillor Carol Goult, aged 63, from Oldbury, said the loss of free licences would lead to "loneliness and frustration" for elderly people, causing an additional burden to the NHS.

"People might remember they have to take their medication because that's when Emmerdale comes on," she said. "For many people the TV is a companion.

"Without it they are alone and some of them will struggle to cope. They are not going to remember to eat or even whether it is day or night.

"It will lead to and there no doubt that the impact will be felt by the NHS."

Heartbreaking

More than 637,000 people have signed a petition organised by Age UK, which is calling on the Government to take back responsibility for funding the free licences and honour the 2017 manifesto commitment.

The charity's campaigns manager Rosie McKearney, said Age UK had received "heartbreaking" letters from pensioners devastated at the loss of their licences.

"The main message that comes back from old people is that they couldn't live without the TV," she said.

"Ultimately it's the governments responsibility, and they don't feel like the government should give away responsibility to the BBC. The BBC shouldn't be making decisions about their future and their benefit entitlement.

"Our biggest concern is that when this is actually implemented it's going to be absolute chaos like watching a slow motion car crash.

"Think about people with dementia. How are they going to apply for a TV licence when they haven't had to do so for 20 years?

"Its really hard to ignore such a vulnerable group of people – the people who need our help most in society. We should mark our society by how well we treat our old people."

Alison Beachim, chief executive of Age UK in Sandwell and Birmingham, said means testing would lead to many elderly people losing their licence altogether.

"Forty per cent of those who are eligible to apply don't know how to do it, and therefore will end up without a licence," she said.