Thu, 24 May 2012
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The infamous British TV licence – and threatening letters from the licensing authority – confound Mr American in Britain. He can't make sense of the system nor fathom why the Brits stand for it.Arguably no country has done more to spread global democracy and personal liberty than Great Britain. However, the whole concept of a TV licence and its enforcing authority reeks of indirect, petty, restrictive nanny-government involvement in an area that should be outside of its remit.
It is hard to believe but in the UK, it is mandatory to own a licence in order to watch television. In fact, it is a criminal offence if you watch television without a licence!
Imagine our surprise when within a week of moving in to our house we received a threatening letter from the TV Licensing Authority stating their records indicated no TV licence on file for our address (the letter also emphasised the penalties – GBP 1000 plus costs – if we owned and used an unlicenced TV).
Visit An American in Britain for more of Mr and Mrs American in Britain's fresh – if not always rosy – perspective on Merry Olde England and, from time to time, advice for those venturing over from across the pond. Because "let’s just say, I’ve made some mistakes along the way."
Photo credit: TV Licensing poster by EVERYDAYLIFEMODERN (Flickr.com)
Visa paperwork Whether you're relocating to the UK or just visiting, it's important that you find out in advance whether you need a visa.
Expat mortgages and everything to do with buying a UK property might sound complicated, but there’s plenty of help out there for you.
You can access the UK's National Health Service (NHS) in a range of ways. Here is an overview of the main services available to help you get the treatment you need.
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