Britons demand stop to non-payment prosecutions for TV licence

BBC: Public share their views on TV licence fee

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The cost of living crisis is hitting people from all walks of life with skyrocketed bills, rising inflation and increasing mortgage and rent payments. A petition launched on Change.org three weeks ago has called on TV Licensing and the BBC to stop prosecution notices for non-payment for people who are in financial hardship, over 75 or otherwise vulnerable. At the time of writing, the petition has garnered over 145,093  signatures, this is over double the 66,000 signatures it had only yesterday. 

Once the petition hits 150,000 signatures, it will become one of the top signed on Change.org.

The petition was launched by a Change.org user who claimed she faced criminal prosecution by TV Licensing after she struggled to juggle her finances during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petition description stated: “When I got the letter telling me I was being prosecuted, I couldn’t believe it. I wasn’t even being prosecuted for avoiding them.

“I had tried to resolve the problem with them directly, calling and emailing to sort out the payment issues. I was a single parent, struggling financially and it was clearly not in the public interest to prosecute me.

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“I worried that a criminal conviction might cause all sorts of problems in my life. It caused me sleepless nights and even impacted my ability to parent as I was so worried and distracted. “

Eventually, the charges were dropped after the woman received free legal help from the charity and law practice APPEAL.

APPEAL have called for the halt of prosecutions before, as well as the charity Silver Voices, but to no avail.

APPEAL pointed out that non-payment of the licence fee is “the most common offence for which women are prosecuted.”

It is estimated there were 50,000 prosecutions brought by TV licensing last year.

The petition writer added: “I can’t help but think of all the people that are going to be struggling during the cost-of-living crisis – the last thing they need is a criminal conviction on top!”

Thousands of people have voiced support of the demand with the comments highlighting that the cost of living crisis is making it harder for people to afford their BBC fee.

While commenters have not faced the prospect of prosecution themselves, many were worried about the potential for it to occur.

One user said: “At present in UK citizens surviving is a big challenge. Living cost too high so tv license is a burden.”

While another commented: “I am 82 years old and like many trying to live on a small private pension and a measly state one after working for 50 years.

“I don’t think they need pensioner’s money.”

The current cost of the licence fee is £159 a year and it usually increases alongside inflation every year. 

The Government announced earlier this year that it would remain frozen at the current price until April 2024. 

In April this year, former culture secretary Nadine Dorries labelled the BBC licence fee as “completely outdated” as the Government published its white paper which set out a timetable for a review of the funding model.

The last review of the licence fee in 2015/16 found there were drawbacks to the licence fee but concluded it was the most appropriate funding model for this charter period, which is running until the end of 2027.

The White Paper stated: “The broadcasting sector continues to change rapidly.

“An increasing number of households are choosing not to hold a TV licence, as fewer people choose to watch live TV or other activities that require a TV licence.”

“Should this trend continue as expected there are clear challenges on the horizon to the sustainability of the licence fee.”

A TV Licensing spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “We continue to work with groups throughout the UK which support people who fall into financial difficulty so they can remain correctly licensed.

“There are a range of payment plans to help spread the cost of a licence – which is frozen until 2024 – including our Simple Payment Plan which is designed for people who need extra support.”

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