A LEADING charity has urged Scottish Tories to reconsider the decision to cancel free TV licences for everyone aged 75 or over.

Age Scotland is the country’s largest charity representing elderly people.

And it has written to Scotland’s 13 Tory MPs and urged them to honour their 2017 manifesto.

In 2017 the Conservatives campaigned with the promise of maintaining pensioner benefits, including TV licences etc.

From 2020, the BBC will begin means testing pensioners and only those receiving Pension Credit will be eligible for a free TV licence.

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Half of all over 75’s have said that they only have a pet or TV for company.

And now 50,000 Scottish pensioners are likely to lose that.

Age Scotland chief executive, Brian Sloan said: “As 12 of the 13 MPs were elected for the first time on this manifesto, it will no doubt be important to them to ensure that this promise is kept.

“We are urging them to seek an assurance from whoever becomes the next Prime Minister to reinstate the free licence for everyone aged over 75.

“This is not something the BBC should ever have had to make a decision about.

“Benefits and entitlements must be the exclusive remit of government, local and national, not a broadcaster.

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“With an ageing population and alarming levels of loneliness among older people, they urgently need to take back control of this much-needed benefit.

“For nearly a quarter of a million older people in Scotland, their main form of company is their TV.

“It’s not just entertainment, but their window to the world.

“We must not stand by and allow it to be taken away.”