The BBC says a decision to cut the level of support to Manx pensioners has been done in the interest of fairness.

From January, the corporation will no longer provide all over-75s with a free TV licence. It will give free licences only to people who qualify for income support.

This decision brings Manx residents, as well as those in the other Crown Dependencies, in line with licence payers in the UK.

The Manx government has repeatedly said it remains committed to an October 2016 Tynwald resolution that supports free TV licences for over-75s and only last week Policy and Reform Minister Ray Harmer said the Council of Ministers ’respects that resolution’.

A BBC spokesman said: ’The BBC board applied the same criteria as when making the decision for the UK based on fairness, financial impact and feasibility.

’The BBC board considered fairness to all licence fee payers, including over 75s, in the Crown Dependencies and in the UK.’

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan has responded by saying the Treasury and Council of Ministers ’will now determine the position of the over-75s who don’t receive income support’.

Mr Cannan added: ’Given that current TV licences for the over-75s only run to December 31 this year, we understand the urgency of the situation and hope to have made a decision by the end of this week.’

However, the statement from the government does not refer to the 2016 resolution or what options the Council of Ministers is considering.

There are an estimated 5,500 households in the island with a person aged 75 or over. About 550 people aged 75 or over receive income support, excluding people in care homes.

Before announcing this decision, the BBC held a consultation across the Crown Dependencies. However, in the Isle of Man only 25 responses were received.

Jason Moorhouse MHK warned of a low response in his submission and had ’serious concerns about how the consultation is being managed and fundamental flaws in the process’.

Fewer than a third of Manx respondents said they backed the BBC’s proposal, with more than half objecting to it. In a letter from Chief Minister Howard Quayle, the government made its case that the BBC should continue to fund licences for all those over 75.