08/05/2008
TV Licensing
Did you know that you can be fined up to £1,000 if you are caught watching TV without a licence? Well, if you don't have one, there's no better time to get one, because TV Licensing enquiry officers are about to step up their visits in Liverpool. More than 8,150 people in the city were caught trying to evade the licence fee last year.
TV Licensing is working in partnership with Liverpool City Council to ensure that people in Liverpool are aware of the circumstances under which they have a legal responsibility to have a TV Licence. This coincides with additional visiting and an information and awareness campaign taking place in the area during May.
Simply put, you need to be covered by a valid TV Licence to receive or record television programmes as they are being broadcast. This is the case whether you are receiving the programmes via TV or any other device, such as a mobile phone or a PC.
TV Licensing understands that some people find it hard to pay the annual fee of £139.50 for a colour TV Licence or £47 for a black and white licence in one go. For this reason, there are a number of different ways to pay for a TV Licence, including a weekly cash scheme.
The cash payment plan is designed to help anyone who would prefer to make regular small cash payments either weekly or fortnightly. Those on the cash payment plan can pay over-the-counter at a PayPoint outlet or over the phone using a credit or debit card. This scheme, originally available only to those on income-related state benefits, has recently been extended so that everyone is eligible.
You can also save towards the cost of a TV licence by using a TV Licensing savings card, which has replaced the old TV Licence savings stamps. People can save money on their cards by paying via credit or debit card at any PayPoint outlet or over the phone. The savings card is designed to help people save towards the yearly licence fee in small manageable amounts.
People wishing to pay or save for their TV Licence in person can use PayPoint's growing network of over 19,000 outlets across the UK using cash or debit card payments. PayPoint outlets can be found in newsagents, convenience stores, supermarkets, petrol stations and other retailers. To find their nearest PayPoint, people can visit www.paypoint.co.uk/locator.htm or call 0845 155 0404.
In addition to paying at a PayPoint outlet, there are many other ways to pay. More people are choosing to pay by Direct Debit, now used by over 12 million licence fee payers, while others choose to pay via our website, by using a debit or credit card over the phone or by putting a cheque in the post.
The concessions available for the licence fee include a free licence for people aged 75 or over and a short term licence for people aged 74. Anyone who is registered blind or severely sight impaired is entitled to 50% off the cost of the licence fee.
For people who do not have English as a first language, TV Licensing helps them to understand their legal obligation by providing literature in 21 different languages and offering an interpretation service over the phone in over 150 languages. To use the translation service, please call 0844 800 6728.
TV Licensing would always prefer people to be properly licensed rather than risk prosecution, which is why we make it as easy as possible to pay and work hard to ensure people are aware of their licensing requirements. Unfortunately some people still try to avoid paying for a TV Licence when they need one, and we will enforce the law on behalf of the honest majority who pay.
TV Licensing has a comprehensive database of over 29 million UK addresses, which allows them to see unlicensed addresses at the touch of a button.
If you would like more information, or want to buy a TV Licence, please call 0844 800 6737 or visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk.
<< Back