“One week they’re saluting our veterans and the following Monday they take away their right to a free TV licence. It is just mean.
“Where have our country’s moral values gone? Some will not be able to afford this.”
Clive Middleton, of Gedling, added: “I am 75 next year. I have worked all my life and now I feel like I will turn 75 and it is the start of pensioners losing what little they have left.
“We have been hammered by the bankers, we have the worst pensions and now we just seem to be losing everything else.
“We have worked all our lives to end up being treated like this.”
Retired test engineer Roger Chapman, 75, said: “We were given these small benefits like the fuel allowance and the free TV licence to offset the fact that our pensions were the worst in Europe.
“If they take this away from us it begs the questions of what they will take away next.”
The BBC has prompted a furious backlash over its decision to end free TV licences for up to 3.7million pensioners in June 2020.
Under the new rules, only low-income households where one person receives the pension credit benefit will still be eligible for a free licence.
Protesters also gathered outside the broadcaster’s headquarters in London on Friday, holding signs and shouting: “What do we want? Television licence back!”
And a group of about 40 people took part in a protest outside BBC Scotland in Glasgow, chanting: “BBC, BBC, keep our licence free.”
A BBC spokeswoman said: “We appreciate that people feel strongly about this issue, and recognise that many people have signed the Age UK petition calling on the Government to restore funding for free TV licences.
“We know pensioner poverty is an important issue, and that’s why we’re ensuring the poorest older pensioners continue to get a free licence, while avoiding the closure of major services which would be necessary if we were to meet the £745 million-a-year cost.
“We have written to charities and older people’s groups to work together to ensure the poorest older pensioners know how to claim Pension Credit.
“We hope that pensioners will consider claiming as they could then be eligible for around £2,500 and other benefits as well as a free TV licence.”
