Over 1,000 fines issued to Glaswegians who didn’t pay TV license fee

Over 1,000 people living in Glasgow were issued with a fine for failing to pay their TV license in a one-year period.

According to figures compiled by National Statistics, 1,046 people living in the Glasgow City area were issued with a fine for failing to comply with the Communications Act 2003, section 363 (2) & 4.

According to the law “a television receiver must not be installed or used unless the installation and use of the receiver is authorised by a licence under this Part.

“A person who installs or uses a television receiver in contravention of subsection (1) is guilty of an offence.”

Money raised by the TV license fee go towards the funding of the nation’s public broadcaster the BBC.

More fines than any other local authority

Glasgow received more fines than any other local authority area in Scotland, with about a quarter of fines issued in the country handed to people living in the city.

The UK government has teased the dropping of the license fee altogether.

Of the 1046 fines issued to Glasgow residents, 765 were issued to women, compared to just 281 men.

The figures were a decrease on the year before, with 1,427 fines and warnings issued to residents of the city.

The UK government has frozen the cost of the TV license for the next two years .

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said the government would "undertake a review" of the current funding model and decide whether “a mandatory licence fee is appropriate”.

Ms Dorries tweeted on Sunday that “This licence fee announcement will be the last.”

The current cost of a TV license is £159 for a colour license and £53.50 for a black and white license.

A person can qualify for a free TV license if they are 75 or older and receive Pension Credit.