Dumbarton's representatives at Holyrood and Westminster have warned that scrapping concessionary TV licences for over 75s would deal a terrible blow to older people in the area.

At the moment all households with someone aged over 75 are entitled to receive a free TV licence.

But the government-funded scheme, which is expected to cost £745 million by 2021-22, comes to an end in 2020 and it will be for the BBC to decide whether to continue it, and in what form it will exist.

The broadcaster has been holding a public consultation on the subsidy, which ended on February 12.

It put forward five options: continuing the scheme; scrapping it; raising the threshold to 80; giving over-75s a 50 per cent discount; or means-testing the payment by linking it to pension credit.

SNP MSP Martin Docherty-Hughes said: “Having access to television is a lifeline for many older people for news and entertainment, especially vulnerable pensioners facing loneliness and social isolation.

“If proposals to scrap the free TV licence are allowed to go ahead, over 7,000 elderly households in West Dunbartonshire will lose out.

“According to the BBC’s own figures, scrapping of the concessionary TV licence for over-75s will take an average of £22,000 a week out of the pockets of over-75s in each constituency across the UK.

“Not content with the UK state pension being the worst in the developed world, this move by the UK government means that thousands more older people face being forced into financial difficulty."

While, Labour MSP Jackie Baillie added "“The Tory Government knew what it was doing when it forced the cost of paying for free licences for over 75s on to the BBC.

“Labour was completely opposed to this and we are still firmly of the belief that the Government was totally wrong to outsource a social policy in this way.

“It will be a terrible blow to older people who already struggle to make ends meet and particularly to those who are housebound or isolated and rely on their TV for company."

Ms Baillie and Mr Docherty-Hughes are among a chorus of politicians from opposition parties and campaigners, warning about the impact on over 75s if the free scheme is ended and blaming the Government for devolving responsibility to the BBC.

Amid calls for the government to retake control of the scheme, on February 13, Prime Minister Theresa May pressed the BBC to fund free TV licences for over 75s.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, she said: “I recognise the value that people across the country place on having a television, and for many elderly people the connection that brings with the world – and that’s why the free licences for the over-75s are so important.

“We want and expect the BBC to continue free licences when they take over responsibility for the concession in 2020.

“I think taxpayers rightly want to see the BBC using its substantial licence fee income in an appropriate way to ensure it delivers fully for UK audiences.”