Up to 5,250 pensioners in Montgomeryshire face losing their Television Licence, a regional Assembly Member has warned.
Eluned Morgan AM, Assembly Members for Mid and West Wales, said the BBC is currently consulting on plans to scrap free TV licences for the over 75s and that thousands could be affected.
She said the UK Government has devolved responsibility for TV licence policy and the cost to the BBC, which means that from 2020 the broadcaster can decide what to do with the benefit introduced by the previous UK Labour government.
The corporation is currently consulting on a number of options including scrapping the free TV licence concession altogether, raising the eligible age to 80 and means testing it and is seeking comments from viewers and listeners to be returned before 12 February.
New figures produced for the Labour Party by the House of Commons Library show that under each of the changes proposed by the BBC in their consultation, up to 5,250 pensioner households in Montgomeryshire are at risk of losing their free TV licences altogether.
Eluned Morgan AM said “The UK Government should take responsibility and save TV licences for the elderly.
“Many older people already struggle to make ends meet. The BBC has already announced that the TV licence is due to increase again from April. In rural Wales, isolation among older people is a real problem. The Campaign to End Loneliness found that 40% of older people say their television is their main source of company."
