13.08.13
Families struggling with aggressive bailiffs
The Citizen’s Advice Bureau has warned of private bailiffs “overstating their powers” and frightening working families, and says that local authorities are turning to bailiffs too quickly to recover unpaid council tax.
Across England and Wales, the Bureau helped 38,262 people with over 60,000 problems between April 2012 and March 2013, a third of which concerned council tax debts.
Families are more likely to have bailiff problems in the North East and 46% of families with these issues are working. The Citizen’s Advice Bureau is calling for councils to sign up to good practice on council tax debts, including the promotion of available help and highlighting different payment date options.
Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizen’s Advice, said: “The fact that working parents are being hounded by bailiffs for debts is a worrying reflection on today's living standards. Hard-working households are racking up debts just to get by.
“We're concerned that all too often debts, like unpaid council tax, are passed to bailiffs too quickly without recognising that the person may be struggling and need help like repayment plans.
“Creditors need to be identifying debt problems earlier and offering support, and never side-stepping responsibilities by handing it over to bailiffs.”
After a similar warning earlier this year, LGA chair Sir Merrick Cockell said: “Councils will always try to work with people who are struggling to meet their council tax bills and are very keen to help through measures like flexible payment plans or assisting eligible people to apply for council tax support. Bailiffs are the option of absolute last resort. Before the situation reaches a stage where bailiffs are involved several letters will have been written, people will have been encouraged to apply for financial support, and efforts will be made to arrange new payment plans or to attach the debt to a salary.
“Councils have a responsibility to all taxpayers to ensure that council tax is collected. This is important for ensuring essential services we all use, from picking up the bins and fixing the roads, to protecting the vulnerable and caring for the elderly, are properly funded. Usually more than 97% of council tax is collected in the year it is billed.”
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