Treasury says it will ’review existing policies’ after the BBC announced it will be scrapping universal free TV licences for those aged 75 and over.

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

The BBC announced today it will scrap blanket free licences for over-75s. Those households with one person who receives pension credit will still be eligible.

It means up to 3.7 million British pensioners who previously received a free TV licence will now have to pay.

The BBC said ’fairness’ was at the heart of the movce, which comes into force in June 2020.

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

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’.

A Treasury spokesman said: ’On October 18 2016, Tynwald resolved that free TV Licences for those aged 75 or over should be reinstated with immediate effect.

’The Isle of Man Government is aware of the decision by the BBC Board, announced today following a public consultation, to end universal provision of free TV licences in the UK from June 2020 for those aged 75 and over.

’The Treasury will now be reviewing existing policies around free TV licences for those aged 75 and over to secure a way forward for pensioners resident here.

’In the meantime, those individuals in receipt of a free TV licence do not need to contact the Treasury as their licences remain valid.’