The BBC has today announced increased support for people who are struggling to pay the TV Licence.
A new action plan will aim to reduce the number of women in severe financial hardship who are prosecuted for licence fee evasion.
The plan is a response to the BBC’s Gender Disparity Review, which was set up to examine and understand why 75% of those prosecuted are women The review found this disparity is largely caused by societal factors.
The detailed study included evidence from a range of expert stakeholders, an analysis of TV Licensing data and processes and research on social inequality. It was overseen by independent adviser Baroness Lola Young, an expert in gender, racial equality and the justice system.
Key findings in the report:
- There is no evidence that TV Licensing deliberately discriminates against any group, and gender is not a factor in the way TV Licensing collects and enforces the licence fee.
- Societal factors, outside the BBC’s control, remain the significant factors behind the disparity in prosecutions as found in the previous BBC review in 2017. These include:
- Household composition: More than 60% of single adult households are female compared to less than 40% male.
- Behavioural differences: women are more likely to be at home than men; more likely to open the door; and more likely to be the point of contact for bills and domestic admin.
- Financial hardship: More women experience severe financial hardship than men, which can impact their ability to stay licensed and to provide evidence which may stop prosecution.
Over the last five years (2017-22) there has been a 66% reduction in TV Licensing prosecutions in England and Wales. As a result, the overall number of women being prosecuted has fallen – however they still account for the majority of prosecutions. The BBC remains concerned by the disparity and is committed to doing more to support those in severe financial difficulty.
Societal factors can mean that women are also prosecuted more than men for some other offences, including truancy and benefit fraud. There are also concerns about how civil debt is collected, for example around Council Tax.
Baroness Young of Hornsey, the Independent Advisor for the Gender Disparity Review, says: "The BBC’s Action Plan has the potential to lead to fewer people – particularly those in real financial difficulty - being prosecuted and that is something to be welcomed. This was a rigorous review which scrutinised a raft of new evidence and concluded there is no single source of the disproportionality that we see in prosecutions.
"As I have said in the report, women and men do not appear to be treated differently. Rather, the societal factors at play are also often present alongside disparities in the criminal justice system, and health and other services."
Many of the action plan measures have been developed as a direct result of suggestions made to the review by expert stakeholders.
Key actions in the plan include:
- Extending the simple payment plan – which helps spread the cost of a new licence in small instalments over 12 months - to all unlicensed households to enable them to make smaller payments in ways that help support people pay;
- Working in partnership with the debt advice charity StepChange The BBC will run a pilot to ensure that anyone experiencing financial difficulty will have access to free, independent support;
- A two-month breathing space on enforcement action for anyone in financial difficulty who agrees to a free, independent debt advice referral from TV Licensing. This mirrors the “Breathing Space” legislation which is a wider policy to help support people with debt/financial problems; and
- TV Licensing will also improve the way people can provide evidence under the public interest test; trial new ways of allocating and prioritising visits; and increase opportunities for second-time evasion offenders to pay for a licence during a visit.
Clare Sumner, BBC Director of Policy, says: "While we know societal factors drive the gender disparity, we’re committed to making improvements to our own processes wherever possible.
"Our action plan will improve support for people in real financial difficulty to help them stay licensed and reduce risk of prosecution. We look forward to the new partnership with StepChange and we will closely monitor its impact.
"I would like to thank all those who contributed to the review and Baroness Lola Young for her independent scrutiny and oversight."
Vanessa Northam, Head of Charity Development at StepChange Debt Charity says: "Our partnership with the BBC will help TV Licensing customers in financial difficulty to access free, independent debt advice and reduce the intolerable burden that money worries bring"
She adds: "Demand for StepChange’s services is understandably high given the enormous cost pressures so many households are facing, with women making up 65% of new clients who contact us. We welcome TV Licensing’s move to provide additional support for their customers."
BBC Press Office
Notes to Editors
Prosecution is always a last resort and will only proceed if there is adequate evidence to give a realistic prospect of conviction, and is in the public interest. An offence must be proved beyond reasonable doubt. Sanctions are at the discretion of the magistrates’ court. A fine of up to £1000 can be imposed but the average fine is around £200. There is no power to imprison for a TV licensing offence.
In 2022 around 25 million TV licences were issued – covering around 91% of households that require one. Prosecution remains a last resort when dealing with evasion and only a very small proportion of the population – around 0.18% - is prosecuted, which accounts for less than 2% of all evaders.
The action plan also includes proposals to make the Simple Payment Plan (“SPP”) available to all unlicensed households. The SPP enables people who are unlicensed to spread the cost of a new licence in small instalments over 12 months, to all unlicensed households. SPP was launched by the BBC in 2020 and there are currently some 250,000 licences in force paid for using it. Expanding availability will require Government regulations.
- The 10 Point Action Plan can be seen here.
- The full review can be seen here
- The Appendix can be seen here and the supporting material which supports the findings are here
- Terms of Reference can be seen here
- The announcement of the Independent Advisor appointment can be found here
Biography, Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey
Baroness Young of Hornsey has been an Independent Crossbench member of the House of Lords since 2004. She has worked on legislation to eliminate modern slavery, and is the founding Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion and Sport, Modern Slavery and Human Rights. An academic, author and university chancellor, Baroness Young was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2001 for services to British Black History, and chaired the Young Review and Agenda, addressing racial disproportionality and the vulnerability of traumatised women in the justice system. She is also Co-Chair of the Foundation for Future London and has also been on the boards of a number of cultural bodies, including the National Theatre and the Southbank Centre.
About StepChange Debt Charity
StepChange Debt Charity is the UK’s largest debt advice charity, helping hundreds of thousands of people a year.
Founded in 1993, StepChange supports people experiencing debt problems through telephone and online services, and campaigns for change to reduce the harm and stigma associated with debt.
