The UK public service broadcaster submitted its response to the Government’s consultation on decriminalising TV licence evasion.
Background: The evasion of the TV licence that funds public service broadcasting has been a lively issue in the UK for many years. In 2015, the Perry Review concluded that it was appropriate to maintain the existing form of criminal deterrence. The Government confirmed that stance in a White Paper published in 2016. However, the current Government decided it was appropriate to reconsider the matter, and opened a public consultation on 5 February 2020. The consultation, which closed on 1 April 2020, sought views on whether the Government should replace criminal sanctions with an alternative civil enforcement scheme.
The BBC published its response: On 31 March 2020, the BBC published its response to the consultation, in which it calls for retaining the existing system, noting that changes to a civil system would likely end up increasing evasion by 10%, cost the BBC about £1bn over the next five years, and hit poorer people harder because there is no discretion on the level of the fine. The BBC also took the opportunity to touch on the broader issue of the way in which it is funded, noting that one possible option could be to follow the example of other European countries and link the payment directly to other common utility bills, such as broadband or energy services.
Next steps: It is expected that the Government’s response will come in several months from now. The Government has already indicated it may need to consult further on changes to the current model before it makes a final decision.
