What is the UK littering fine, what are fixed penalty notices and how can you appeal?
WE ALL should know the importance of recycling rubbish and keeping our surroundings clean and tidy.
But still people continue to drop litter on the streets of Britain causing a blot on the landscape. Here's what happens if you get caught littering.
What are fixed penalty notices for littering and dropping cigarettes?
To issue fines to people who drop litter, cigarette ends or fly-tip, most local authorities use fixed penalty notices (FPNs).
They can also be handed out for dog fouling, fly posting, and nuisance parking.
The FPN is required to state the offence committed and it must be paid within 14 days.
They should be issued on the spot and if a person refuses to pay they could be prosecution and summoned to magistrates court.
However, wardens are told not to issue FPNs for accidental littering, such as an item falling from a person's pocket.
They are also told to give offenders the chance to pick up their litter before issuing a fine.
It is only when they refuse that an FPN will be dished out.
What is the UK fine for littering?
Anybody who is caught dropping litter and not putting their rubbish in the bin can be fined.
These are issued by wardens working for local councils, who set to cost of the fines.
Previously, fines have ranged from £50 to £80, with a default level of £75 of the council does not set its own amount.
However, it has been announced that maximum fines for litter louts are set to double to £150.
The default fine will go up to £100, with the minimum penalty increasing to £65.
This crackdown plans will also see drivers held responsible for passengers who throw rubbish out of their cars under plans to clean up the country.
Previously council officials had to prove the identity of the person littering from a car - meaning that many incidents went unpunished.
How can I appeal a fine for dropping litter?
Under current legislation, if you are issued with a FPN for littering there is no formal way if appealing it.
If you do not think you committed the offence, you can chose not to pay the penalty.
But this means that your case will then be taken to court, where you could face a higher fine.
The courts will then judge your case against the law of the land and the evidence presented.
