Thousands of readers want the BBC to reverse its decision to stop giving the over 75s a free TV licence.

The universal free TV licence for over-75s has ended - with the BBC confirming they will now means-test those in that age bracket to determine their entitlement.

A third of over 75s households have still not bought a licence, three months after the changes were introduced.

We asked you if you thought the over 75s should get a free licence.

And 8,527 people (96 per cent) said they belived the licence should be free, compared with 330 people (4 per cent) that didn't.

Here's what you said: 

William Booth: "If people want BBC then they should make it a subscription base for those who want it and not been forced into it. Simple enough."

Claudia Barry: "No-one should be paying for it."

Joyce Padmore: "They say that they cannot afford to give the over 75 free tv license, but they can give outrages pay rises to celebrity’s, without a thought.

"Personally no one should have to pay for a television licence, other channels raise there funds by other means, it’s about time the BBC do the same. We pay enough for Sky or Virgin, it’s not like the BBC put on anything special."

Susan Smith simply wrote: "Defund the BBC."

Louise Day: "I stopped paying on principle when they decided to charge old aged pensioners. They're welcome to threaten me but won't change mind."

Brendan Gunn: "Bring in adverts, scrap the licence!!"

A TV licence costs £154.50 a year for a colour television and £52 a year for a black and white television.

The BBC's decision was met with a public outcry with Prime Minister Theresa May among those to condemn the decision.

She said she was "very disappointed" and urged the BBC to reconsider.

The general public also made their voices heard with a petition started by charity Age UK reaching more than 361,000 signatures.

Halstead Gazette: A TV licence costs £154.50 a yearA TV licence costs £154.50 a year

The petition stated: "We believe this change will harm millions of older people who rely on their TV.

"Together, we must demand the Government takes back responsibility for funding free TV licences."

Speaking about the decision, the BBC said if they continued to provide free TV licences for all those over 75, it would have led to unprecedented closures of channels such as BBC Two, BBC Four, the BBC News Channel, BBC Scotland, Radio Five Live, and a number of local radio stations.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden last week claimed it is now time to "ask really profound questions" about public service broadcasting in the digital age.

The BBC has long maintained it "continued to innovate, adapt and lead change,' but Mr Dowden suggested platforms like Amazon Prime and Netflix had "lobbed a grenade into the system".

The Conservative frontbencher added: "Public service broadcasting has already lived, adapted and thrived through a hundred years of history.

"It's time to start thinking about what it does next."

In a statement, a BBC spokesman said: "The past few months have served as a powerful reminder of just how much the BBC matters locally, nationally and globally.

"Our programmes and services have never been more relevant, important or necessary."