TV licence statement issued over £1,000 fines as annual fee to rise | UK | News
TV Licensing has issued a statement regarding the penalties households could face for not paying their TV licences. The current annual fee of £174.50 to watch live or on-demand television programs is set to rise to around £180 from April 2026.
In a recent appearance before MPs, Sian Williams, chair of the Financial Inclusion Commission, expressed concerns that people who did not pay the fee were frequently receiving “threatening” letters. He also explained that people often receive multiple letters containing scary language.
He said: “There is a narrative that the government is not holding to the same standards that the FCA is holding the industry to.” The commentator’s comments came as he addressed the Treasury Committee on financial inclusion, urging policymakers to “take another look at the way the government talks to citizens about the money it owes”.
TV Licensing has been questioned about what kind of letters it sends to people who do not have a TV licence. A TV Licensing spokesman responded: “The maximum penalty a court can impose for license fee evasion is a fine of up to £1,000 and we make this clear in our customer communications.”
However, according to the organisation, going to court over an outstanding license is always a “last resort”. Its main purpose is to ensure people have the appropriate licence, the report states. Mirror.
However, it added that it was responsible for collecting the fee and would contact properties where there was no TV license record or where current licensing requirements were “unknown”.
TV Licensing explained: “This activity is part of our ongoing efforts to maximize license fee collection from those requiring licences, and minimize evasion.”
It will also explain what the license covers and provide information about payment methods.
If no response is received by purchasing a license or submitting a ‘no license required’ statement, the organization will send additional letters warning about the possible consequences of not obtaining a licence.
TV licensing also said it communicates with its customers by letter, email, customer service line, as part of communications campaigns and via social media.
However, some people can obtain TV licenses at no cost. Pension Credit claimants aged 75 and over are entitled to a free TV licence. Older Brits are encouraged to check whether they are eligible for this state pension age benefit, which provides an average of £4,300 in additional support each year.
This benefit includes an increase in your weekly income, up to £227.10 per week for single applicants and £346.60 per week for couples. Additional amounts may be available in addition to income supplements, but this depends on circumstances such as whether you have a severe disability or are caring for another adult.
