The BBC has turned to debt collectors to chase households dodging the licence fee. The broadcaster is haemorrhaging £550million each year as evasion rates surge, prompting it to bring in Themis Recoveries, a firm previously caught up in pursuing victims of identity fraud. The move signals growing desperation at the corporation, which has warned of "managed decline" without action on falling revenues. Licence fee dodging has nearly doubled in five years, climbing from under seven per cent to 12.5 per cent. Themis Recoveries has been tasked with dispatching enforcement letters to homes suspected of avoiding payment, operating on a temporary contract while the BBC evaluates whether the approach delivers value. The firm will work alongside Capita, which already handles enforcement duties including home visits. This year marked the first time the licence fee reached £180. Some consumers have voiced frustration online after receiving payment demands despite insisting they neither watch...