The People's Platform: demand action on the cost of living!

Take action to support ACORN's campaign. Together, we can win!

Take action to support ACORN's campaign. Together, we can win!

Email your candidates - Bailiffs

On July 4th, the nation will go to the polls. ACORN is focusing on 4 demands at this election, both looking to national parties to deliver the changes we need, but also calling on local candidates to commit to fighting for these areas if they are elected.

Use this template to write to your local candidates and tell them to support ACORN's bailiff demands; an end to the use of bailiffs for council tax debt collection. You can maximise your impact by using your voice to personalise the message.

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Subject:

I am a resident of the constituency you are contesting and supporter of ACORN, the community union. I am reaching out to you because I am deeply concerned about the use of bailiffs to collect council tax debt, an issue that is affecting my community and others like it all over the country.

Council tax arrears in England alone amount to £5.5 billion, with an average for 4,500 people being taken to court for council tax debt every day. Many people are trapped in a vicious cycle of poor mental health and debt: mental health issues can disrupt people’s lives and lead them into debt, while being indebted and harassed by bailiffs can create or worsen mental health issues. Half of people in debt have mental health problems, and experiencing a financial crisis makes people eight times more likely to have suicidal thoughts.

According to Citizens Advice, one in three people contacted by bailiffs have experienced them breaking the rules – refusing to accept affordable pay offers, threatening to illegally break into people’s homes, taking items that are exempt from seizure or belong to the wrong person (including items necessary for work), acting aggressively towards people in debt, and being unsympathetic to those with illnesses and disabilities – and creating a great deal of stress and anxiety in the process.

There is no evidence that bailiff use increases collection rates, and the use of bailiffs can exacerbate the indebted person’s situation. Bailiff and court fees add an average £310 additional debt, and in many places, residents become liable for the entire year’s council tax bill once they are late for a month’s payment. A debt that is initially difficult but manageable can spiral out of control, plunging people further into debt, and ultimately costing local and national government billions in extra health, social care, employment and housing support.

Several councils including Hammersmith & Fulham, Manchester, Southwark, Newham and Bristol have introduced debt collection policies that move away from, or entirely get rid of, bailiff use. The most bold of these is Hammersmith & Fulham, who have entirely ended the use of bailiffs. Instead of chasing residents with bailiffs, the council intervenes early when people start to fall behind, and helps them to access all the support and advice available to them. Their ethical debt collection policy has led to an increase in council tax collection rates.

The use of bailiffs to collect council tax debt is effective at creating destitution and ill health, but fails to provide councils with revenue. It should be a priority of any incoming government to end this ineffective, unjust and unnecessary practice, and offer new guidance to councils on how to effectively and humanely collect council tax debt.

ACORN is a community union representing neighbourhoods across England and Wales. To read their asks of the next government on bailiffs and ethical debt collection please click here.

Thank you for reading my letter, if you are elected, will you argue for these changes our communities need?. I would be interested to hear back from you with your thoughts on how you think we can introduce a more ethical system of debt collection.

To read our demands in full, visit https://www.acorntheunion.org.uk/election_2024

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