Consultation outcome

Consultation on decriminalising TV licence evasion

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government
This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Government response to the consultation on decriminalising TV licence evasion

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Detail of outcome

This is the government’s response to the consultation on decriminalisation of TV licence evasion, which ran from 5 February to 1 April 2020.

After carefully considering all of the consultation responses received, the government remains concerned that a criminal sanction for TV licence evasion is increasingly disproportionate and unfair in a modern public service broadcasting system.

However, as noted in consultation responses, the government also recognises that changing the sanction for TV licence evasion would have wide-ranging impacts for licence fee payers which need to be carefully considered.

On this basis, while no final decision has been taken at this time, the government will keep the issue of decriminalisation under active consideration as part of the wider roadmap of reform of the BBC.


Original consultation

Summary

We welcome views from both members of the public and organisations on whether the Government should proceed with the decriminalisation of TV licence evasion by replacing the criminal sanction with an alternative civil enforcement scheme.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

The Government believes that it is right to look again at decriminalising TV licence evasion in order to ensure a proportionate and fair approach to licence fee penalties and payments is in place, which protects the most vulnerable in our society.

The consultation will seek responses on whether to decriminalise evasion and give consideration to how this could happen. The determining factors that the Government will consider include:

  • Would an alternative, non-criminal enforcement scheme be fairer and more proportionate?
  • What the cost is and how difficult it would be to implement any alternative scheme?
  • What is the potential impact on licence fee payers, particularly the most vulnerable and those with protected characteristics?
  • And what is the overall impact on licence fee collection?

Documents

Consultation on decriminalising TV licence evasion

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Ymgynghoriad ar ddad-griminaleiddio achosion o osgoi talu’r drwydded deledu

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@dcms.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Updates to this page

Published 5 February 2020

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