Dyfed Powys Magistrates

21st March 2013

Confidential

What will today’s presentation cover?

A summary of our work

The prosecution process

The local picture

An opportunity to ask questions

What is TV Licensing?

TV Licensing is a trade mark used by agents contracted by the BBC to administer the collection of TV Licence fees and enforcement of the TV Licensing system

Capita manages prosecutions, call centres and the field force

iQor administer TV Licensing’s cash payment schemes, including call centres

Administration and collection of TV

Licence fee

Enforcement of TV Licensing system

Help for those who need a licence,

provision of information and

payment methods to suit all

Prosecution: a last resort against those

who evade paying the licence fee

Did you know?

A colour TV Licence costs £145.50; a black and white licence costs £49

You need a TV Licence if you watch or record programmes as they are being shown on TV

The law is the same regardless of the technology used: laptop, mobile phone, iPad

Around 97% of households own a TV

The vast majority are correctly licensed - only 5.2% evade the Licence Fee

30% of those prosecuted last year were found to have satellite or cable subscriptions when their

property was checked

Some facts

Did you know?

People aged 75 or over qualify for a free licence

Blind and severely sight impaired people qualify for a 50% concession

The Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) Licence costs £7.50 a year and allows certain residents who live in

homes qualifying for the scheme to install and use TV receiving equipment in their unit of accommodation

TV is as popular as ever with people watching more than ever before

Some more facts

How people pay

70.2%Pay by Direct Debit

9.5%Pay by Credit / Debit card

8.0% Pay by Payment Card

5.9%Pay by PayPoint

2.2%Pay by Savings Card

0.2% Pay by home banking

0.1%Pay at Post Office on Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man

All figures are for 2011/12 financial year

Helping people to pay

The Payment Card helps people spread the cost of their TV Licence

• Pay online, over the phone or by text message

• There are 23,000 PayPoint outlets – currently 1.5m people choose to make payments in this way

• Check account status, payment schedule and arrears online or via our automated telephone service

TV Licensing sends over 60,000 text message reminders each month to Payment Card members who have opted into the service

70,000 new members join the scheme each month, but year on year growth is just 60,000

Working with stakeholders

TV Licensing works with third parties to provide information through the legal system and a range of stakeholder organisations including:

• Citizens Advice

• Institute of Money Advisers

• Age UK

• RNIB

• Mencap

• National Union of Students

• Federation of Small Businesses

And not just national organisations. We also work with regional and local organisations such as:

• Citizens Advice Bureaux

• Councils and housing associations

Speaking your language

TV Licensing provides a range of information in foreign languages

There are:

• 16 languages available on www.tvlicensing.co.uk

• 180 languages available via our telephone translation service

We also distribute leaflets to community organisations in 18 languages

Who are evaders?

AB Middle class and above: doctors, architects, lawyers, senior managersC1 Lower middle class: middle management, policemenC2 Skilled working class: nurses, salesmen, publicansD Working class: manual workersE Lowest subsistence level: state pensioners, casual workers, unemployed

According to BARB (Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board) around 97% of households currently own TVs

E AB

D

C2C1

E AB

D

C2C1

Social grade distribution of properties needing a licence –

licensable base

Social grade distribution of unlicensed properties

20 weeks to avoid court for 1st time evaders

Address is shown as unlicensed on TV

Licensing database

Individual advised to buy a licence and informed of

the payment options

TV Licensing monitors the database to see

if a licence has been purchased

Repeat evaders are prosecuted with no

further letters

TV Licensing will apply to withdraw prosecution

where first time offenders purchase a licence

An interview conducted under

caution when evasion is suspected

Reminder letterssent , telephone contact may also

be attempted

If no response, an enquiry

officer visits

First-time evaders may avoid prosecution if

they purchase a licence immediately

The general rule: no prosecution for first-time evaders who subsequently buy a TV Licence and keep up payments

The enforcement process

A popular excuse

Many evaders claim that an enquiry officer told them they would not be prosecuted if they bought a licence

It is a disciplinary offence for an enquiry officer to say or suggest this

The Record of Interview clearly states:

“Please note: the enquiry officer who conducted this interview does not have the authority to give you time to pay. Even if you purchase the appropriate

licence, you may still be prosecuted for the offence. If you pay for your licence in instalments, you must ensure that your payments are kept up to date.”

“I have been told that it is in my own interest to obtain a TV Licence although I may still be prosecuted for any unlicensed use.”

And (by the signature line):

Our prosecution policy

TV Licensing policy is based on the code for Crown Prosecutors

A decision to prosecute is taken by the Court Administrator, treating each case on its individual merits

Each decision must satisfy both evidential and public interest tests

Public interest is rarely served by prosecuting:

• Genuine babysitters

• Seriously ill, disabled or otherwise mentally incapacitated

TV Licensing prosecutes those with a black and white licence who have a colour TV

The regional picture

From March 2012 to November 2012 there was an estimated £1,376,576 in potential lost revenue due to licence fee evasion in the Dyfed Powys area.

Around 441 evaders were caught

TV Licensing prosecuted c. 185 evaders

Dyfed Powys monthly fines

Welsh average fines and costs

Thank you!

We take on board your feedback and implement changes where possible. This has resulted in:

• Redesign of the TV Licensing interview form

• Requests for:

– National Insurance numbers

– Dates of birth

– Telephone numbers

• Continued cleansing of data

• Quicker processing of repeat evaders

But…what more could we do?

Thank you

Warren Carr, TV Licensing Campaign Office

xxxxxxxxxx, Capita Court Presenter