ST HELENS South and Whiston MP Marie Rimmer says she is "disappointed" by the BBC decision to means-test free licence fees for over-75s but blames the Government for the action.

From June 2020 around 3.7 million households, which previously received a free licence, will now have to fork out to pay the cost.

It is thought 1.5 million households will be eligible for the free licence under the new scheme, which will cost the BBC around £250 million by 2021/22 depending on the take-up.

Ms Rimmer said: "I’m very disappointed by the BBC’s decision to remove TV licences for over 75s. For many people over the age of 75 the television is their only connection to the outside world.

"However, this is not the fault of the BBC. What we have consistently seen by this Conservative government is the offloading of their responsibilities to other organisations.

"I call on the Government to step in to restore free TV licences for over 75s.”

Last month, St Helens North MP Conor McGinn also blamed the Tory government for the move.

He said: “This Government has broken its manifesto promise to keep free TV licences until 2022, and now millions of elderly people are facing losing their free TV licences.

"If these plans go ahead, thousands of local people over the age of 75 in our community will lose out, and they will pay a combined total of nearly a million pounds a year.

"This is yet another Tory policy that punishes pensioners. Through scrapping free TV licences and changing pension credit alone, this Government would offload almost a billion pounds of costs on to our oldest citizens in a single year.

"This Tory Government is picking pensioners’ pockets. Labour is calling on the Government to urgently reconsider and fund free TV licences for over-75s.”

However a spokesman for the Government said they are "disappointed" with the decision adding that they have "been clear of what we want".

They said: "We’re very disappointed with this decision – we’ve been clear that we want and expect the BBC to continue this concession.

"People across the country value television as a way to stay connected, and we want the BBC to look at further ways to support older people.

"Taxpayers want to see the BBC using its substantial licence fee income in an appropriate way to ensure it delivers for UK audiences, which includes showing restraint on salaries for senior staff."

Licence fees were being reviewed by the BBC, with the full cost of concession due to be passed to the corporation from government in June 2020.

Facing financial pressures and attempting to streamline, the BBC has said previously that shouldering the burden of free licences would “fundamentally change” the broadcaster.

BBC director-general Lord Tony Hall announced licence fees will now be linked to Pension Credit and will be means-tested.

A BBC spokesman said: "We've reached the fairest decision we can so we protect the poorest pensioners while ensuring everyone will continue to receive the best programmes and services that the BBC can provide."

Chairman of the BBC Sir David Clementi said: “Linking a free licence for over-75s to Pension Credit was the leading reform option.

"It protects the poorest over-75s, while protecting the services that they, and all audiences, love.

“It is the fairest and best outcome. It is one we can implement and endorse.

"This is an outcome that is the fairest possible in difficult circumstances.”