The UK television licence is unfair and should be scrapped. The funds from the television licence go only to the BBC and not any of the other channels. Why should you have to pay money to the BBC if you never watch their channels?
There are many on benefits or low income who cannot afford the licence fee. There should the option of opting out of receiving BBC channels and in this age of technology it would be easy to set up a subscription service for the BBC.
In 2013 the BBC admitted wasting £98.4 million in licence fee on a high-tech digital production system which was later scrapped by their new boss Tony Hall.
As far as the BBC is concerned if you have a TV but not a licence you are an evader.
If you watched only ITV and did not own a television licence it is currently a criminal offence and you risk a prison sentence and a large fine. This is not fair and it needs to change.
Facts:
Each year approximately 200,000 people are prosecuted for non-payment of the TV Licence
68% of these prosecutions are against women (this is because when the TV Licence inspectors call during the day it's usually the woman who's at home)
Out of the total of 200,000 prosecutions 98% result in a fine.
TV Licence evasion is a strict liability offence these cases have to be heard in a magistrates court, and the court has no compulsion to allow fines to be paid by installments.
There is no compulsion on Magistrates to means test people who appear in court.
If you do not pay the fine a warrent will be issued for your arrest.
Over the years thousands of women have been imprisoned in the United Kingdom because they were not able to pay fines imposed upon them for not having a TV Licence. Almost all of these women were on benefits and around half of them had dependent children.
Please sign this petition and share, it's time to allow people the option of paying to watch the BBC . Thank You.
