TV licence fee non-payment 'could be decriminalised'

[IF]

Not paying the TV licence fee could become a civil offence, rather than a criminal one, under plans being considered by ministers.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller said "decriminalisation of the licence fee should be on the table" during the BBC's charter review before 2017.

The BBC said changing the law could lead to more people failing to pay.In 2012 about 155,000 were convicted and fined for not paying the £145.50 fee and about 70 were sent to prison.

In total 180,000 people were prosecuted for not paying their licence -which is needed to watch or record live broadcasts on any device - accounting for more than one in 10 criminal prosecutions that year.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling told the Daily Telegraph "serious work" would be done on the proposal to make non-payment a civil offence and that it could ease the pressure on criminal courts.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "The culture secretary and I both agree that this is a really interesting idea - particularly given the pressure on our courts system.

"Our departments will be doing some serious work on the proposal."


Read more here —> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26492684

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: TV licence fee non-payment 'could be decriminalised'

& clog up the civil courts then instead eh?

Jesus, why not, here's a novel thought, just make it the same as any other service, and give us the choice of paying to use, or not paying to not use.

It's not difficult BBC - feckin bullies......

[ken100464]

Re: TV licence fee non-payment 'could be decriminalised'

Bloody hell get sent to prison for not paying to watch telly!!!!!!!!

So what you do mate. I murdered 17 people, what did you do, burnt loads of buildings down, what did you do, didnt pay to watch the BBC.

What is our country becoming.

[pompeyfaith]

Re: TV licence fee non-payment 'could be decriminalised'

Either go down the subscription root like Sky or Advertising like ITV, in short scrape it after all folks could do with some extra cash

[PlanB]

Re: TV licence fee non-payment 'could be decriminalised'

Do you need a licence to watch TV Catch-up? http://tvcatchup.com/

[jj19]

Re: TV licence fee non-payment 'could be decriminalised'

It is a mad state of affairs when you can watch iplayer or catch up on your tv with no licence but do need one to watch coronation st or record something. I just now watch everything on catch up or at someone elses house !

[IF]

Re: TV licence fee non-payment 'could be decriminalised'

Do you need a licence to watch TV Catch-up? http://tvcatchup.com/

The law states that you need to be covered by a TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes, on any device, as they're being shown on TV. This includes TVs, computers, mobile phones, games consoles, digital boxes and Blu-ray/DVD/VHS recorders.
You don't need a licence if you don't use any of these devices to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV - for example, if you use your TV only to watch DVDs or play video games, or you only watch ‘catch up’ services like BBC iPlayer or 4oD.

Taken from -- > http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check/v...&WT.mc_id=r001