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BBC bosses have blown £169million chasing TV licence dodgers.
They are paying logistics company Whistl and Royal Mail £33.8million a year for five years to deliver letters to those suspected of not paying.
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The spending is equivalent to nearly 200,000 licence fees a year.
It is also £11million higher over the five years than the £158million which was on offer to would-be bidders when the contract was announced in August.
Joanna Marchong, from the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Struggling households will be furious with this blatant waste of money by the Beeb
“Auntie has opted for a contract with an exorbitant price tag, in an attempt to prop up the out-dated licence fee
“By scrapping the hated tv tax and replacing it with a subscription service there would be no need for these threatening letters”
The letters are sent to households with no licence in place or as part of the legal process for pursuing those who have not paid the £169.50 fee.
A TV Licensing spokesperson said: “While we continue to encourage customers to move to paperless communication and e-licences, letters remain a highly cost-effective way of reminding people they may need a TV Licence, and these costs are driven by postage charges.
“The contract amount covers five years and will ensure best value to efficiently collect the licence fee.”
A BBC source also said the increase in costs from the original tender were down to Royal Mail price hikes, which the corporation could not control.
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