New campaign urges Leeds residents to be aware of TV Licensing
requirements
TV Licensing is working in partnership with
Leeds Federated Housing Association to ensure that people in Leeds
are aware of the circumstances where they have a legal
responsibility to have a TV licence. This coincides with additional
visiting and an information and awareness campaign in the local
area.
Simply
put, you need to be covered by a valid TV licence to receive or
record television programmes as they are being broadcast in the UK.
This is the case whether you are receiving the programmes via TV or
any other device, such as a mobile phone or a PC.
TV Licensing understands that some people find it hard to
pay the annual fee of £135.50 for a colour TV licence or £45.50 for
a black & white licence in one go. For this reason,
there are a number of different ways to pay for a TV licence,
including a weekly cash scheme, Cash Easy Entry
(CEE).
The CEE scheme is a weekly
payment scheme designed to
help anyone who would prefer to make regular small cash payments.
CEE scheme members can pay over-the-counter at PayPoint outlets by
cash or debit card or over the phone using a credit or debit card.
This scheme, originally available only to those on income-related
state benefits, has recently been extended so that everyone is
eligible.
You can also save towards the cost of a TV licence by using a
TV Licensing savings card, which has replaced the
old TV Licence savings stamps. People can save money on their cards
by paying via credit or debit card at any PayPoint outlet or over
the phone. The savings card is designed to help people save towards
the yearly licence fee in small manageable amounts.
People wishing to pay or save for their
TV licence in person can use PayPoint's growing network of more
than 16,000 outlets across the UK, using cash or debit card
payments. PayPoint outlets can be found in newsagents,
convenience stores, supermarkets, petrol stations and other
retailers. To find their nearest PayPoint, people can visit
www.paypoint.co.uk/locator.htm
or call 0870 850 7846.
In addition to paying at a PayPoint outlet,
there are many other ways to pay. More people are choosing to pay
by Direct Debit, now used by over 12 million
licence fee payers, while others choose to pay via our website, by
using a debit or credit card over the phone or by putting a cheque
in the post.
There are concessions available for the
licence fee, including a free licence for people aged 75 or over
who apply for it and a short term licence for people aged 74.
Anyone who is blind is entitled to 50% off the cost of the licence
fee.
TV Licensing would always
prefer people to be properly licensed rather than risk prosecution.
Unfortunately some people still try and avoid paying for a TV
licence when they need one, and we will enforce the law on behalf
of the honest majority who pay.
TV licensing has a comprehensive
database of over 28 million UK addresses, which allows them to see
unlicensed addresses at the touch of a button. More than 4,450
people in Leeds were caught trying to evade the licence fee last
year (between Jan 05-Jan 06), which could lead to a court
appearance and a fine of up to £1,000.
For people who do not have English as a first
language, TV Licensing helps them to fulfil their legal obligation
by providing literature in 21 different languages and offering an
interpretation service over the phone in over 150 languages. To use
the translation service, please call 0870 240 1674.
If you would like more information or to buy a licence,
please call 0870 240 1294 or log on to
www.tvlicensing.co.uk