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TV Licensing apologises after sending 'threatening' letter to dead woman

TV Licensing
TV Licensing sent this letter to a dead woman (Picture: TV Licensing)

TV Licensing has apologised after sending a ‘threatening’ letter to a dead woman.

The organisation said sorry to the woman’s daughter who had received the letter which threatened a maximum fine of £1,000.

MP John Nicolson demanded an apology for his constituent from Ochil and South Perthshire.

The SNP politician tweeted: “Yet another deeply crass and insensitive letter from @tvlicensing. The addressee is dead.

“Her daughter says she has informed @tvlicensing.

“And naturally she finds intimidating letters like this threatening and upsetting. Please contact me and issue an apology to my constituent.”

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TV Licensing apologised for the mistake in a response to Mr Nicolson’s tweet, writing: “We're sorry for any distress caused by this letter this wasn't our intention.”

It promised to contact the constituent directly to say sorry and said it would also discuss the issue with the MP.

But Mr Nicolson claimed it made the mistake “all the time” and added when the woman reported her mother’s death to TV Licensing someone told her the letters would probably continue.

ALLOA, UNITED KINGDOM - 2019/11/06: SNP John Nicolson and Nicola Sturgeon are seen at a press conference during his election campaign ahead of the 2019 General Election. (Photo by Stewart Kirby/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
SNP's John Nicolson and Nicola Sturgeon (Picture: Getty)

He said he would ask his constituent if she was happy being contacted and urged TV Licensing to “take on board the widespread anger felt by MPs about the way you harass vulnerable people with these threatening letters”.

In June 2019, BBC bosses announced they would be stopping free licences for the over-75s, but any household where at least one person still receives pension benefit will continue to get the licence for free.

In March this year, they pushed the scheme back until 1 August in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

From August this year, about 3.7 million pensioners will have to pay to watch BBC programmes.