New campaign urges Leeds residents to be aware of TV Licensing requirements

TV Licensing is working in partnership with Leeds and Yorkshire 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