More than half of MPs have charged taxpayers for a TV licence when claiming for expenses since 2010.
The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Vince Cable, and the Scottish National Party’s leader in the House of Commons, Ian Blackford, are among more than 320 MPs who have claimed.
It comes as more than 3.7million over-75s have been ordered to pay for the licence after the government asked the BBC to start funding the concession next year.
Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Vince Cable, and the Scottish National Party’s leader in the House of Commons, Ian Blackford, have both charged the public purse for free TV licences. It comes as more than half of MPs have been revealed to have claimed for a free TV licence on expenses since 2010, by the Sunday Times
The government’s culture secretary, Jeremy Wright, has also claimed for a TV licence on expenses. He charged £1,025 to cover a licence for his London flat until 2015 before claiming for one at his Kenilworth constituency office since 2016
The government’s culture secretary Jeremy Wright, who has heavily criticised the BBCs decision to end free licences for over-75s, has also charged the public purse for a TV licence.
The Conservative member for Kenilworth and Southam, near Birmingham, has claimed £1,025 to cover a TV licence at his London flat until 2015 and then a second licence for his Kenilworth constituency office since 2016.
Deputy leader of the SNP Stewart Hosie (Dundee East) has claimed the most out of all MPs at £2,523, figures from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority compiled by the Sunday Times have revealed.
He was followed by the DUP’s representative for East Antrim, Sammy Wilson, who claimed £2,431.
Arch-Remainer and Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable, who represents Twickenham, has claimed £589 while the SNP’s main representative in the House of Commons and MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber Ian Blackford claimed £881.
Responding to a MailOnline request for comment, the Scottish MP said that he ‘required’ the licence for his constituency office to keep up with the news.
Deputy leader of the SNP Stewart Hosie has claimed the most for a TV licence, at £2,523 since 2010. He is followed by DUP MP for East Antrim Sammy Wilson, who has claimed £2,431
MPs can claim for a licence in their constituency office, according to IPSA, and were allowed to claim for one in their second home until 2016.
George McNamara, from charity Independent Age, told the Sunday Times: ‘Pensioners will see this as extremely insulting.
‘It seems there’s one rule for the MPs and another for them.’
As much as £323,104 of taxpayers’ cash has been claimed to pay for TV licences since 2010.
The BBC announced on June 10 that over-75s would no longer be able to use a free TV licence from the end of May next year, after the government decided to make the corporation responsible for its funding by 2020.
The national media provider said this would cost around a fifth of its budget, or £745million, forcing it to abandon the free licences.
Since announcing the decision, the BBC has faced heavy criticism from some quarters.
Age UK’s charity director, Caroline Abrahams, said: ‘Make no mistake, if this scheme goes ahead we are going to see sick and disabled people in their eighties and nineties who are completely dependent on their cherished TV for companionship and news forced to give it up.’
This will lead people to feel ‘enormous anxiety and distress and some anger too’, she warned.
A government spokesman said at the time that they ‘expect’ the BBC to continue the concession.
‘People across the country value television as a way to stay connected,’ they said, ‘and we want the BBC to look at further ways to support older people’.