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ACORN England & Wales Campaigns

ACORN England & Wales Campaigns

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The council tax system is broken. It’s hurting people, and it’s damaging our communities.

In England and Wales, almost £7 billion is owed in council tax debt, and that number is rising.

People already squeezed by the cost of living crisis are being trapped in a debt spiral, unable to pay and with added costs being piled on. One missed £100 payment can quickly snowball into more than £400 in debt and can even make someone liable for the entire year’s bill overnight.

At the same time, private bailiff companies are making massive profits, adding on stress, fear, and more debt.

Half of people in debt face mental health issues, and 1 in 3 bailiff visits involve threats, rule breaking and illegal behaviour.

But together we can change it! Right now the government is consulting on how council tax debt is collected. 

Please add your name and tell the Government it's time for a system that is fair, that works, and that puts people, not profits, first.

The council tax system is broken. It’s hurting people, and it’s damaging our communities.

In England and Wales, almost £7 billion is owed in council tax debt, and that number is rising.

People already squeezed by the cost of living crisis are being trapped in a debt spiral, unable to pay and with added costs being piled on. One missed £100 payment can quickly snowball into more than £400 in debt and can even make someone liable for the entire year’s bill overnight.

At the same time, private bailiff companies are making massive profits, adding on stress, fear, and more debt.

Half of people in debt face mental health issues, and 1 in 3 bailiff visits involve threats, rule breaking and illegal behaviour.

But together we can change it! Right now the government is consulting on how council tax debt is collected. 

Please add your name and tell the Government it's time for a system that is fair, that works, and that puts people, not profits, first.

Tell the Government: No to bully bailiffs & council tax debt!

Dear Steve Reed and Alison McGovern, / Mark Drakeford

We are very pleased to see that the government is considering changes to the administration and enforcement of council tax.

Council tax arrears have increased dramatically over the past couple of years, with more and more families struggling to pay. According to research from Stepchange, this issue is acutely felt by women, and research by Debt Justice shows that one in three people in council tax debt live below the poverty line. Far too many households are coming into contact with enforcement agents whose visits are not only traumatic and plunge people further into debt, but there is also little evidence that their use leads to greater revenue collection.

We urge the government to use this political moment to bring in reforms that will truly tackle the issues associated with council tax debt and both improve the well being of citizens and increase revenues for local councils. 

We want to see:

  • Liability order fees capped at £10, or at a level which reflects the actual cost to councils for the administration and paperwork 

  • Residents given the maximum amount of time possible to address their arrears before a council can seek a liability order

  • A statutory pre-action protocol laying out steps all councils should take before seeking a liability order, ending the postcode lottery dictating how people in debt are treated when struggling to pay council tax 

  • An end to the use of bailiffs to collect council tax debt 

  • An end to imprisonment for non-payment of council tax debt (England only)

  • The government committed to exploring alternatives to council tax, such as a proportional property tax, as a fairer system of local government revenue creation.

These changes will not only address the unfair postcode lottery faced by council tax payers across England/Wales at the moment, but we truly believe that investing in early intervention and support for those struggling to pay rather than heavy handed enforcement action and court orders will see better outcomes for both residents and local government. 


Yours sincerely,

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