550 TV licence evaders caught in Newry | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

550 TV licence evaders caught in Newry

TV Licensing has revealed the true extent of licence evasion in the Newry and Mourne area.

According to the figures, more than 550 people were caught watching TV without a licence in Newry during the first six months of 2012. This compares to more than 240 in Armagh, 560 in Craigavon and 300 in Dungannon.

These evaders are among more than 8,300 people caught across Northern Ireland during the first half of this year. The average evasion rate remains at a low of just over five per cent, meaning that almost 95 per cent of properties are correctly licensed.

Commenting on the statistics Deborah King, TV Licensing spokesperson, spoke to Newry Times and said that while the figures painted a very positive picture for the vast majority of people, it was ‘unfair’ that a minority continued to evade the fees.

“If people decide to watch TV without being properly licensed, they risk prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000. We do understand some people may find it difficult to pay their licence fee in one go, which is why we offer numerous ways to spread the cost, including a weekly cash payment plan, a savings card and monthly Direct Debit scheme, which can all be set up very quickly online or over the phone.”

She added, “We also work with a range of money advice organisations who can provide useful information and payment advice to help people budget for a TV Licence.”

Kevin Higgins, Head of Policy for Advice NI, said:

“These are difficult times as many households struggle to cope with the recession, welfare reform and rising household bills. Advice NI is at the forefront in trying to help people in financial difficulties draw up a budget to enable them to meet household bills and expenses. TV Licensing makes the process of purchasing a licence as easy as possible, with many ways to pay and an informative website helps to ensure that people are correctly licensed.

“We would urge anyone having trouble with payments to contact TV Licensing so they can provide additional advice.”

A colour TV Licence currently costs £145.50 and is required by anyone watching or recording TV programmes as they are shown on TV, whether they are using a TV set, computer, or any other equipment. Anyone watching TV illegally risks prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.

Further information on how and where to pay the licence fee can be found on the TV Licensing website

More on this story:

Over 1000 caught without a TV licence in Newry in 2011

 

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=20134

Posted by on Jul 25 2012. Filed under Community, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

1 Comment for “550 TV licence evaders caught in Newry”

  1. Watchkeeper

    More misinformation from the BBC.

    Things you should know:
    • The BBC is the Television Licensing Authority
    • TV Licensing™ (without the “Authority”) is a BBC trademark like Mr Blobby™
    • TV Licensing™, like Mr Blobby™, does not exist as an organisation. Anything with TV Licensing™ on it comes from Capita Business Services plc or PR agencies employed by the BBC
    • Deborah King, named in this article, is a good example. She actually works for Stakeholder PR agency in Belfast:
    http://tinyurl.com/74crdg3
    • TV Licensing™ Inspectors/Officers are salesmen earning commission. They are no more “official” than a double-glazing salesman. You don’t have to put up with them on your property. You can order (not ask) them to leave and they must comply. They cannot threaten you with a search warrant. Here’s a job advert by Capita to prove they are salesmen. Note “Salary + uncapped commission”.
    http://i48.tinypic.com/315deur.jpg
    • A TV licence is only for LIVE PROGRAMMES. If you watch programmes on catch-up (the BBC’s own iPlayer, 4oD etc) then you don’t need a licence – even if you feed the signal from your computer into your TV. The “TV” in “TV licence” doesn’t refer to a TV set but to live TV programmes. Get the facts here:
    http://tinyurl.com/d3hko5f

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