Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Accepted
BBC lacks public evasion targets, prioritising internal revenue goals and customer service incentives.
Conclusion
The BBC did not set an evasion target for 2024–25, and we asked whether there were any internal targets that had not been publicly disclosed.16 The BBC told us that it had clear internal revenue targets and a target for licences in force, which the executive team and the BBC Board monitored monthly. It explained that although it had metrics for “no licence needed”, it did not have a target for declarations as these are driven by customer behaviour.17 The BBC also stated that prosecution volumes were not a metric of success and that Capita the BBC’s main 10 Television Licence Fee Trust Statement for the Year Ending 31 March 2025, 15 July 2025, HC 1182, p. 27 11 Qq 19, 20 12 Qq 29-31 13 Q 14 14 Q 16 15 Qq 15, 35 16 Q 10; Television Licence Fee Trust Statement for the Year Ending 31 March 2025, 15 July 2025, HC 1182, p. 10 17 Qq 10, 11 8 contractor for TV licencing was not incentivised on revenue, prosecutions, or sales, with the focus instead on customer-service monitored through service-level agreements (SLAs).18 Opportunities for digitising the licence fee
Government Response Summary
TVL focuses on Licences in Force and implicit in that is minimising evasion. The BBC carries out trend modelling to forecast changes in licensable consumption and trends in evasion. The BBC’s activities on collection and enforcement focus on availability of service and fair and proportionate treatment of customers.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
1.19 TVL focuses on Licences in Force and implicit in that is minimising evasion. Reducing evasion is a focus of TVL activity in a very challenging environment. The BBC carries out trend modelling to forecast changes in licensable consumption and trends in evasion. Evasion is driven by a number of factors that are not in the direct control of TVL, so an evasion target is not considered appropriate. The BBC’s activities on collection and enforcement focus on availability of service and fair and proportionate treatment of customers.