Hundreds of people have been prosecuted for TV licence evasion in Sussex – and almost three quarters of those were women.

New figures from the Ministry of Justice show that 539 people in the county were prosecuted in 2022. Of these, 389 (72 per cent) were women.

The Magistrates' Association said a better understanding of what is behind the gender disparity is needed to address the issue.

It comes as the TV licence increased £169.50 to this month, up from £159.

A TV licence is a legal requirement for anyone wanting to watch live TV on terrestrial channels, or online streaming. The fine for not having a licence is up to £1,000 plus any legal costs. Additional compensation may also be ordered.

Tom Franklin, chief executive of the Magistrates’ Association, said the organisation is concerned the offence disproportionately affects women.

He said: "According to TV licensing data, this gender disparity is not reflected in who holds the TV licence, which suggests that the disparity results from either capacity or willingness to pay, or the enforcement practices being followed."

It is thought women are more likely to register as heads of household or are more likely to be home during the day, therefore more likely to answer the door to inspectors.

"What we are clear about is that a better understanding is needed of what is behind the disparity and then action should be taken to address it going forward," he said.

Across England and Wales, 32,092 women were prosecuted for not having a licence despite watching or recording TV shows.

They accounted for 74 per cent of all prosecutions against adults for the offence. It was down slightly from 75 per cent in 2021, and 76 per cent in 2020.

A TV Licensing spokeswoman said: "Prosecution is always a last resort and our priority is to help people stay correctly licensed."

She said the issue of why more women are prosecuted than men is a "complex one".

She said: "It was the subject of an in-depth, independently overseen review published last year which found no evidence that TV Licensing deliberately discriminates against any group.”