"I missed one council tax payment, then I owed £2,800 and had bailiffs at my door"
It’s a story we’re hearing time and time again. People are being forced into debt because of our regressive council tax system and then being harassed by bailiffs.
Missing one council tax payment can mean receiving a bill for the full year within a matter of weeks, leaving people on low incomes the worst affected.
Over 4.4 million people face unpayable debts and council tax is going to go up next month by almost 5% in most boroughs, forcing more people into debt.
With local elections happening in hundreds of councils across the country this spring it’s time we told our local councillors that we want to see action on council tax debt and an end to bailiff use.
Can you email your local councillor, calling on them to pledge to take action?
"As an elected councillor, candidate or local represenative, I recognise that rising living costs have left many residents struggling, and that council tax debt has grown significantly in recent years. Local authority reliance on bailiffs has proven counterproductive, traumatising residents and leaving many deeper in debt than before.
I therefore pledge to:
- Support ending bailiff use for council tax debt collection in my ward, within my local authority and nationally
- Advocate for a fairer debt collection policy, or duty of care, that ensures people in debt receive support, not enforcement
- Raise the issue with my party"