More than 2,400 Barking and Dagenham residents have been caught watching TV without a licence.

The figures released this week by TV Licensing - which collects the fee on behalf of the BBC - show 1594 were caught in Dagenham and 681 in Barking last year.

This compares to more than 860 in Havering and more than 1,800 in Redbridge.

Despite the figures the average evasion rate remains at a low of just over five per cent, meaning almost 95 per cent of homes are correctly licensed.

Victoria Sykes, TV Licensing spokesperson, said: “The data shows evasion remains at historically low levels of approximately five per cent, with the overwhelming majority of people ensuring there are correctly licensed.

“In order to be fair to the law-abiding majority who do pay for their licence, we’ll continue to pursue the small minority of people do not pay.”

She explained there are numerous payment methods for those who struggle to pay but warned licence evaders face prosecution and a £1,000 fine.

More than 400,000 people were caught watching TV without a licence across the UK in the same period.

A colour TV Licence currently costs £145.50 and is required by anyone watching or recording TV programmes as they are shown on TV, whether they are using a TV set, computer, or any other equipment.

For more information visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk