The BBC could be set to ask over-75s to give up their free TV licence or make a voluntary contribution towards it, according to reports.

If the initiative goes ahead, so-called "silver celebrities" including Dame Helen Mirren, Lord Bragg, Sir Terry Wogan and Michael Parkinson, could be asked to help The Times (£) reported.

The corporation is due to assume the £700 million-a-year cost of handing out free licences to the elderly from 2020 after reaching a funding deal with the Government.

Proposals under review are said to include paying for its popular iPlayer service and an increase in the licence fee - currently £145.50 - in line with inflation.

Britain's biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention said a celebrity-fronted campaign could result in older people being "taken in by this when they should be protected".

Dot Gibson, NPC general secretary, said: "The minute the Chancellor announced passing responsibility for the free TV licence over to the BBC, we knew its future would be in danger.

"It has been a cynical move by government to outsource part of its wider welfare policy to an unelected body - and then wash its hands of the consequences.

"In any functioning democracy, people need access to information and entertainment - especially when two fifths of all older people (about 3.9 million) say the television is their main source of company.