ACORN South West region

Between 2022 and 2023, Cornwall Council referred 23,027 debts to private bailiffs! That's nearly 10% of all households in the region.

Despite slashing funding for essential services, Cornwall Council has recently hiked council tax rates by almost 5%. The tax hike means that Cornwall Council will be sending private debt collectors Marston Holdings and Bristow & Sutor after even more people - and because bailiffs add large fees on to these debts, millions of pounds of profit goes straight into the pockets of the bailiff companies every year, whilst our members and our communities are left living in fear of privately hired thugs.

ACORN have won campaigns to boot bailiffs out of Brighton & Manchester and even more campaigns are being fought in Leeds, Bristol and Birmingham as we speak! We're determined to get the job done here as well, but to do so we need as many people as possible to join the fight. Write to Cornwall Council to tell them to end this meadieval practice and meet with us to discuss a solution.

Between 2022 and 2023, Cornwall Council referred 23,027 debts to private bailiffs! That's nearly 10% of all households in the region.

Despite slashing funding for essential services, Cornwall Council has recently hiked council tax rates by almost 5%. The tax hike means that Cornwall Council will be sending private debt collectors Marston Holdings and Bristow & Sutor after even more people - and because bailiffs add large fees on to these debts, millions of pounds of profit goes straight into the pockets of the bailiff companies every year, whilst our members and our communities are left living in fear of privately hired thugs.

ACORN have won campaigns to boot bailiffs out of Brighton & Manchester and even more campaigns are being fought in Leeds, Bristol and Birmingham as we speak! We're determined to get the job done here as well, but to do so we need as many people as possible to join the fight. Write to Cornwall Council to tell them to end this meadieval practice and meet with us to discuss a solution.

Tell Cornwall Council to Boot the Bailiffs!

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Dear Cllr. Frost & Mrs. Kennally

I am writing to you as a resident of Cornwall who is extremely concerned about the council's use of bailiffs to collect council tax debt.

I am shocked to learn that over 23,000 households in 2022-23 alone were visited by private bailiffs for council tax debt in Cornwall. Using bailiffs to collect council tax debt is a cruel and unnecessary practice which several other local authorities, such as Hammersmith and Fulham and Newham councils, have outlawed, whilst Manchester & Brighton's city councils have ended their use for those on benefits/council tax support.

Bailiffs often use aggressive tactics that traumatise members of our community, especially families with young children and other vulnerable people who are often those who fall behind on their bills. The fact that bailiffs charge high fees and therefore add to the debt those residents are asked to pay is extremely concerning, as this creates a cycle of debt that is hard to escape.

I urge you to meet with ACORN the Union and work with them alongside local residents to end this cruel and unfair practice of debt collection and move towards a more ethical policy.

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