A home care service has pledged to help residents financially after the BBC controversially abolished its free tv licence fee for over 75s.

Elmes Homecare said if the BBC won’t pay then they will after being left disgusted at pensioners having to fork out an annual £154.50 to watch tv from 2020 onwards.

Donna Hider, deputy manager of Elmes Homecare in Beckenham, said: "We strive every day to help the vulnerable and elderly access the community but some suffer severe anxiety attacks at the near thought of going out, and others due to medical reasons have no option but to stay indoors.

"Television is sometimes their only way of keeping up with world news, along with entertainment."

She added that Elmes Homecare will refuse to accept the decision because tv is often the "only lifeline" for pensioners.

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Donna called the saga a "mess" and added: "I hope you at the BBC are happy seeing the country's most vulnerable suffer. We at Elmes Homecare however are not."

Liam Hayward, who owns and manages Elmes Homecare, told News Shopper it was not a big cost to the company but may go a long way for its residents.

"It's a step too far," he said. "I don't think it's very fair and a lot of these people are not on much pension money. This is something else they have to pay for now.

"A lot of our residents can't get out and about and rely on the tv. We will pay it off our weekly invoice and it's not a big thing for us but it is for them."

It is estimated that 3.7 million pensioners will be affected by the annual fee, which has inspired criticism from Theresa May.

The exiting Prime Minister urged the BBC to rethink the decision, which sparked fury on social media.