Bailiff use in Wealden district 'remains too high', says debt charity

National Debtline, a free debt advice service run by charity the Money Advice Trust, has urged Wealden District Council to commit to improve the way it collects council tax arrears and other debts.

Wealden District Council figures, revealed in response to a Freedom of Information request, show the authority referred 275 debts to bailiffs in the 2022/23 financial year.

The charity says that bailiff use remains too high, with action needed to improve collection practices so that fewer debts are sent to bailiffs in the first place.

Across England and Wales, 2.71 million debts were referred to bailiffs by councils during 2022/23 – broadly unchanged on pre-pandemic levels (2.65 million in 2018/19).

The findings, based on Freedom of Information requests to local authorities, form part of wider research into council tax debt and collection practices published by the Centre for Social Justice, which reveals that 1.3 million households fell behind on their council tax bill in 2022/23.

A spokesperson for Wealden District Council confirmed that following the findings, a review is taking place around its processes including an ‘examination of it enforcement agents.’

The spokesperson said: “Wealden continuously strives to improve the ways in which we assist our residents, and in respect of collecting council tax arrears we are currently reviewing our processes including an examination of our enforcement agents.

"Equally, a review of the support offered to our residents in terms of financial vulnerability and maximising income for those in financial hardship is ongoing.

Steve Vaid, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline, said: “Unfortunately Wealden District Council's use of bailiffs remains high. Improving debt collection practices benefits not just people in financial difficulty, but councils too. We have written to the Leader to set out simple steps they can take to improve the way the council collects debts it is owed.

“We are also calling on the new government to support Wealden District Council and other councils by introducing ring-fenced funding to enable all local authorities to provide 100 percent Council Tax Support to households on the lowest incomes."