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.

And the chairman of the Manx Labour Party says he will be raising the issue in Tynwald.

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 on Monday this week that 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 move, which comes into force in June 2020 - but it has been greeted with outcry by pensioners including veterans’ groups.

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 government from supplementing any age-related concession’.

A Treasury spokesman said Tynwald had resolved in October to reinstate free TV licences for over-75s with immediate effect.

She said: ’The government is aware of the decision by the BBC Board 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.’

David Cretney MLC said: ’The Manx Labour Party, who worked with ex-service organisations to get free TV licences for retired people in the Isle of Man restored, will be establishing the Isle of Man Government position on this matter.

’I have felt a "means tested" approach was coming from the UK but we don’t have pension credit in the island.

’I will be raising this in a Tynwald question.’