I’m a lone parent living in Basildon, London. During the COVID-19 pandemic, shortly after I had moved out on my own for the first time, having to juggle my own finances and support my baby, I was criminally prosecuted by TV Licensing for not paying my TV Licence. The charges were eventually dropped, but it was a deeply stressful experience. 

When I got the letter telling me I was being prosecuted, I couldn't believe it. I wasn’t even being prosecuted for avoiding them - I had tried to resolve the problem with them directly, calling and emailing to sort out the payment issues. I was a single parent, struggling financially and it was clearly not in the public interest to prosecute me.  I worried that a criminal conviction might cause all sorts of problems in my life. It caused me sleepless nights and even impacted my ability to parent as I was so worried and distracted.  

I managed to find free legal help from the charity and law practice APPEAL. The charges were dropped. But not everyone is so lucky. There were 50,000 prosecutions brought by TV licensing last year. I can’t help but think of all the people that are going to be struggling during the cost-of-living crisis – the last thing they need is a criminal conviction on top!  

As household bills have rocketed across the U.K. I’m calling on TV Licensing to stop prosecuting people who are unable to pay their TV licences during the cost-of-living-crisis. They should stop prosecuting people who are in financial hardship, over 75 or otherwise vulnerable. Two not-for-profit organisations Silver Voices and APPEAL have been asking them to do this but they have so far declined. 

If you'd like to know more about my story, it has been written up in the i-paper here.