TV licence non payment could be made a civil offence

08-03-2014, 00:41

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...e-a-crime.html

Quote:

It will no longer be a criminal offence to refuse to pay the TV licence fee, under radical plans being backed by ministers.

Currently, anyone failing to pay the licence fee who watches live television at home faces a fine of up to £1,000 and a criminal record. Those who refuse to pay any fines they are given by a Magistrates Court ultimately face jail.

More than 100 backbench MPs from all the major political parties are now supporting a change in the law which would make non-payment of the annual £145.50 charge a matter for the civil courts, rather than a criminal offence.

Quote:

More than 180,000 people – almost 3,500 a week – appeared before the Magistrates Courts in 2012, accused of watching television without a valid licence in, with 155,000 being convicted and fined.

With so much magistrates time taken up by such a minor offence i think this is a sensible move,don't think the Beeb hierarchy will like it much

Gary L · 08-03-2014, 01:03

All the more reason not to pay for a TV licence.

Sirius · 08-03-2014, 01:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyh

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...e-a-crime.html

With so much magistrates time taken up by such a minor offence i think this is a sensible move,don't think the Beeb hierarchy will like it much

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary L

All the more reason not to pay for a TV licence.

Hopefully this will be the start of the end to the TV tax

denphone · 08-03-2014, 07:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirius

Hopefully this will be the start of the end to the TV tax

Somehow l still think it will still be with us in 10 years old bean.

Sirius · 08-03-2014, 09:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by denphone

Somehow l still think it will still be with us in 10 years old bean.

Maybe but this does change things as who can be arsed to pay when its a civil offence. If they do this then i will join the rest of the non payers of the Tax.

08-03-2014, 09:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirius

Hopefully this will be the start of the end to the TV tax

I don't think so ,there may be a change in the way the BBC is paid for and the money collected but i think there will always be some form of compulsory payment for the BBC.Personally i think that there should be a separate payment ,i don't think it right that the fee is collected through general tax or electric bills as some countries do

Sirius · 08-03-2014, 09:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyh

I don't think so ,there may be a change in the way the BBC is paid for and the money collected but i think there will always be some form of compulsory payment for the BBC.Personally i think that there should be a separate payment ,i don't think it right that the fee is collected through general tax or electric bills as some countries do

Which is why i say it is a TAX already.

08-03-2014, 09:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirius

Which is why i say it is a TAX already.

Maybe it should be made a tax instead of a license then at least dragging people through the courts for tax evasion could be justified .

Sirius · 08-03-2014, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyh

Maybe it should be made a tax instead of a license then at least dragging people through the courts for tax evasion could be justified .

Maybe the BBC should be made to be subscription then people have a CHOICE if they wish to watch the BBC or not. Why should i be forced to pay for something i dont want to watch. The bbc is no longer the broadcaster it was and i for one want the choice of paying to watch or not.

08-03-2014, 10:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirius

Maybe the BBC should be made to be subscription then people have a CHOICE if they wish to watch the BBC or not. Why should i be forced to pay for something if i dont want to watch it. The bbc is no longer the broadcaster it was and i for one want the choice of paying to watch or not paying because i dont watch.

I don't think subscription is the best answer ,imo that would lead to the poorest in society being denied quality programs as the subscription continues to rise far beyond the ability of the poorest to pay and at least at the moment you do have a choice of sorts ,if you don't watch live tv then you don't have to pay

**Maggy** · 08-03-2014, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyh

I don't think subscription is the best answer ,imo that would lead to the poorest in society being denied quality programs as the subscription continues to rise far beyond the ability of the poorest to pay and at least at the moment you do have a choice of sorts ,if you watch live BBC then you don't have to pay

dilli-theclaw · 08-03-2014, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyh

I don't think subscription is the best answer ,imo that would lead to the poorest in society being denied quality programs as the subscription continues to rise far beyond the ability of the poorest to pay and at least at the moment you do have a choice of sorts ,if you watch live BBC then you don't have to pay

No - if you're watching live BBC you DO have to pay

Sirius · 08-03-2014, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyh

I don't think subscription is the best answer ,imo that would lead to the poorest in society being denied quality programs as the subscription continues to rise far beyond the ability of the poorest to pay and at least at the moment you do have a choice of sorts ,if you watch live BBC then you don't have to pay

No the rules are if you watch any tv live you have to pay, so if all i watch live is sky sports i have to pay the tv TAX. Why should i have to pay the BBC for watching Sky sports.

08-03-2014, 10:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirius

No the rules are if you watch any tv live you have to pay, so if all i watch live is sky sports i have to pay the tv TAX. Why should i have to pay the BBC for watching Sky sports.

I missed the 'don't' out of my post,and yes it is is live tv which is what i meant

"if you don't watch live BBC then you don't have to pay"

I still think the licence fee is the least worstoption though

---------- Post added at 09:21 ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by dilli-theclaw

No - if you're watching live BBC you DO have to pay

edited the typo

dilli-theclaw · 08-03-2014, 10:39

I pay so little for my tv licence that I don't really mind it.

But I must admit if I wasn't still in a contract for the BT part of my youview box I would most likely go down the on demand route.

I do see why people who don't watch the BBC get irritated by it but I don't like the idea of it going subscription only. At leas the BBC does still do /some/ good programming which I am sure would disappear completely.

Still I don't see them getting rid of it any time soon.