Getting tough on TV licence dodgers (From Swindon Advertiser)

Getting tough on TV licence dodgers

3:23pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in Local

MORE than 900 people were caught watching TV without a valid licence in Swindon in 2011, TV Licensing has revealed.

This compares to more than 320 in Bath, more than 790 in Gloucester and more than 500 in Cheltenham. There were more than 292,000 people caught watching TV illegally in England.

However, the estimated evasion rate across the UK remains steady at around five per cent, as it has done for the last five years.

Warren Carr, TV Licensing spokesman for the south west, said: “TV viewing is as popular as ever, with the percentage of households who have a television set at 96.7 per cent, and it’s our role to make sure everyone is aware of when they need to be covered by a licence.

“On behalf of licence fee payers in Swindon, we are committed to tackling evasion and enforcing the law among the small minority who should pay, but don’t. It’s only fair.

For more information visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk.