Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan has admitted the current method for over-75s to reclaim their TV licence fee is not ideal.

Last year, the Manx Government reinstated the free-licence fee for over-75s, by paying the fees itself, although it is still negotiating with the BBC over whether it will part-fund it.

Mr Cannan said his department had only a few weeks to draw up the repayment scheme last year, but he told Tynwald: ’We have made over 6,000 payments to eligible applicants.’

Most applicants receive their repayment within a week.

’They have a three-month window, around the time their licence is due for renewal, to make their claim,’ the minister added.

Forms and information are available at social security and post offices.

’I fully appreciate that the requirement for elderly persons to make such a claim for a payment each year is not ideal, but currently there is no viable alternative,’ Mr Cannan said.

’However, I am happy to commit to a review of the way in which the current scheme operates, during the first half of next year, to see if any improvements or easements could be made.’

In the UK, the BBC is taking responsibility for funding free TV licences over a three-year period starting in 2018, with the Westminster government contributing two-thirds of the cost in 2018-19, but nothing from 2020-21.

Dr Alex Allinson (Ramsey) asked: ’Surely a better way would be to exempt people over the age of 75 from having a licence altogether?’

Mr Cannan said the arrangement, in which the Manx Government pays for the TV licence for over-75s, was legislated for by the UK at the Isle of Man’s request, but he pledged to continue to monitor the position.

In Jersey, the BBC has agreed to partially fund the free TV licences for over-75s.

State funding of Manx Radio was also the subject for debate in Tynwald. To see a report about that see this week’s Manx Independent.