To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether it is her policy to decriminalise the non-payment of the TV Licence fee.
Answered on
27 October 2022
The Government consulted on decriminalisation of TV licence evasion in 2020, and published its response in January 2021. The response to the consultation shows that a significant number of people oppose the criminal sanction with some highlighting the considerable stress and anxiety it can cause for individuals, including the most vulnerable in society, such as older people.
However, the consultation also identified that changing the sanction for TV licence evasion would have wide-ranging impacts for licence fee payers, as well as potentially leading to a significant increase in fines for those evading payment.
The Government therefore decided to keep the issue of decriminalisation under consideration.
More broadly, it is necessary to look at the BBC’s funding model as a whole to ensure it is sustainable in the long-term. The Government will set out further detail on its plans regarding the future of the licence fee in due course.