Campaigners stepped-up calls to save free TV for over-75s as figures showed thousands of households gave-up their licences.
A freedom of information request by The Times revealed the number of licences in the UK fell by 82,000 in the five months to March.
While younger viewers subscribing to services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime were thought to be behind much of the drop, the revelation underlined the increasing cost of watching traditional TV.
Some 3.7 million pensioner households face forking out £157.50 a year for a TV licence from August 1.
Curbs, which were due to come into effect on June 1 but were delayed for two months because of the coronavirus outbreak, mean only over-75s receiving Pension Credit will be eligible for a free licence.
Age UK said the two-month stay of execution should be extended so OAPs are spared the fee.
Charity director Caroline Abrahams said: “We know that TV is central to many older people’s lives as a trusted companion and a window to the world and now, more than ever, for the latest news and entertainment.
“The BBC Board’s decision to delay rollout of their planned scheme was very welcome but it is becoming more obvious with every day that the initial two-month delay will not be nearly long enough.
“Age UK is calling for the pause to last until at least the end of 2020.
“So many events and initiatives are being scrapped this year – this is another that ought to go the same way.
“Older people have more than enough to worry about at the moment without fretting about getting to grips with a new approach to TV licences and, for considerable numbers, the need to find the cash to pay another big annual bill they can ill afford.”
The BBC is restricting eligibility for the benefit because it says keeping licences free for over-75s would cost £745million by 2021-22.
Dennis Reed, of the Silver Voices campaign group, urged the corporation to put "pressure on the Government to deliver extra funding" so the lifeline can be preserved.
Bectu broadcasting union chief Philippa Childs said: “The BBC has more than proved its value to the nation during the crisis and is a vital social lifeline to many, especially the over 75s.
“The current reduction in collection reinforces the case for the Government to continue to fund free licences for the over-75s and to ensure that Public Service Broadcasting is properly funded.
“The BBC is an essential service for all of us and its quality and range of provision must be maintained and protected.”
The Conservatives pledged at the 2017 election to protect free licences for the rest of that Parliament, which was due to run until 2022.
But the BBC had already been handed responsibility for funding the lifeline from June 2020, under a deal agreed in 2015.
The Mirror is campaigning to permanently save the benefit, with more than 18,000 readers backing the fight by completing coupons in the paper.
