TV licence holders have been told the system is changing. It will make it harder for those struggling financially to be prosecuted for not paying, it has been claimed.
Under the new plans, announced on May 11, those facing enforcement action for not paying the £159 TV licence fee while watching live television, will be given two months' breathing space. Those without a TV Licence will be offered payment plans to spread out the cost.
Those struggling will also be offered free support and advice from the debt charity StepChange. The support plan comes in response to a Gender Disparity Review by the BBC which looked at why 75 per cent of those prosecuted for not paying for their TV Licence were women.
The report found that this figure accounted for 18p of all prosecutions made against women in England and Wales. The BBC report said that "societal factors" were largely responsible for the gender disparity in TV Licence prosecutions.
It found that 60pc of single adult households were headed by women, and only 40pc by men and that women were more likely to be at home than men and more likely to be the point of contact for bills. It also reported that more women experienced financial hardship than men, which could in turn impact their ability to pay for a TV Licence.
Clare Sumner, BBC director of policy, said: “While we know societal factors drive the gender disparity, we’re committed to making improvements to our own processes wherever possible. Our action plan will improve support for people in real financial difficulty to help them stay licensed and reduce risk of prosecution.
"We look forward to the new partnership with StepChange and we will closely monitor its impact. I would like to thank all those who contributed to the review and Baroness Lola Young for her independent scrutiny and oversight.”
Baroness Young of Hornsey, the independent advisor for the Gender Disparity Review, added: "The BBC’s Action Plan has the potential to lead to fewer people – particularly those in real financial difficulty - being prosecuted and that is something to be welcomed. This was a rigorous review which scrutinised a raft of new evidence and concluded there is no single source of the disproportionality that we see in prosecutions.
"As I have said in the report, women and men do not appear to be treated differently. Rather, the societal factors at play are also often present alongside disparities in the criminal justice system, and health and other services."
You need a TV licence if you watch or record live TV on any channel or service or if you use BBC iPlayer. You may be able to get a free or discounted TV Licence if you’re 75 or over and get Pension Credit, or if you’re blind or in residential care, reports the Mirror.
A TV Licence costs £159 (£53.50 for black and white TV sets) for both homes and businesses. You need your own TV Licence if you have separate tenancy agreements and you watch TV in your own room.
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