A lobby group for older people is against the BBC’s decision to make the over-75s pay the licence fee.

People over 75 are currently exempt from the £154.50 fee but the corporation says it needs the money, so it’s changing the policy in the UK.

What will happen in the Isle of Man is not yet clear.

The Manx Retirement Association has held a committee meeting about the issue.

A spokesman said: ’The abolition of free TV licences to the over 75s is, we believe, a retrograde step in our alleged "caring society".’

He said that for many of the association’s members television was their primary form of entertainment and contact with the outside world.

’We implore the Isle of Man Government not to follow the UK with this decision, which we believe is detrimental to those persons in their golden years,’ he said.

The MRA management committee unanimously opposed the measure.

’We are advised by the BBC that the primary users of their content are the older population and, whilst this may be the case, the content does not reflect this age group,’ the spokesman said.

’Much of the content reflects a much younger age group and many minority groups. If the perceived age range is older then the content ought to reflect this.

’One argument made is that many of the older population have the disposable income to pay for their TV licences and, while this observation has some validity, we would point out that the same people do not have the mobility and so their televisions become their lifeline.

’Surely in a caring society we should nurture such people and not discriminate and penalise them?’

The association suggested that consideration should be given to still grant free TV licences to those in need.

If a means-testing procedure were deemed unnecessary or inappropriate the age range limit could be adjusted and the free licences be granted to those over 80, the association said.

The policy of free TV licences for the over-75s was introduced in 1999 in the UK by the then Labour chancellor, Gordon Brown, with the cost met by the government, which paid the BBC to provide the service.

But in 2015 the Conservative government struck a deal under which the subsidy would be phased out by 2020, with the broadcaster having to shoulder the cost of free TV licences.

The UK government later gave the BBC responsibility for deciding what to do about the benefit, meaning any unpopular decisions on charging over-75s had to be made by the BBC rather than ministers.

It’s different in the Isle of Man.

For a short time, over-75s had been paying here.

But one of the first moves by the Howard Quayle administration in 2016 was to reinstate free TV licences for all over-75s.

A cost-sharing agreement was negotiated between the BBC and the Manx government and is due to last until 2022.

After last week’s BBC announcement, the Manx Treasury said it would review existing policies.

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas told the House of Keys in December that any change to that agreement ’will not preclude the Isle of Man government from supplementing any age-related concession’.

In the measures announced by the BBC last week, those UK households with one person who receives pension credit will still be eligible for a free licence.

So one option available to the Manx government is to follow suit.

People who currently get a free TV licence do not need to contact the Treasury as their licences remain valid.

The Manx Retirement Association, which was formed in 1998, has a membership of almost 400.

Its aim is to provide a a range of social and cultural activities for the over 50s in the Isle of Man.

These range from numerous monthly activities including, coffee mornings, lunches, keep fit classes, whist, bowling and Rummikub sessions. It also undertakes visits to the cinema, theatre and group visits.