The following article is a column from Nick Ballard, head organiser and founder of the ACORN Union
There’s little scarier than a knock at the door from bailiffs at Christmas time — but that’s the reality facing tens of thousands of people right across the country right now.
The reality is more and more people are struggling with household finances.
People have been slammed by the cost of living crisis – rising energy bills, increasing food costs, runaway rent increases, the list goes on. For too many, it’s a choice between heating and eating, which utilities are most needed and which bills most urgently need paying.
So it’s no surprise that council tax arrears are also growing.
Councils are using bailiffs more and more for council tax arrears
As of March 2023 (the most recent data available – it’s likely to have risen since), the total amount of council tax arrears in England alone was £5.5 billion, up £513 million from the previous year.
And more councils are turning to enforcement agents, aka bailiffs, and more often. Between April 2021 and June 2023, more than 3 million people were taken to court for council tax debt – that’s an average of 4,500 per day – staggering numbers!
If a payment is missed, in many cases residents become liable for the entire year’s council tax bill in one go. And if you can’t pay this, a knock at the door from bailiffs looking to take away your belongings often follows.
A visit from bailiffs is distressing for anyone, especially for those who are already in debt, and who are vulnerable.
Mental health and debt are mutually reinforcing: 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.
But it’s also clear that aggressive bailiff visits have a huge effect on people’s wellbeing; with fear, stress and anxiety the most immediate.
Making matters worse
A recent report found that council tax debt collectors significantly harm the health of those struggling to pay.
1 in 3 people who’ve had contact with bailiffs report rule-breaking behaviour — with bailiffs refusing to engage properly on debt repayment, to misrepresenting the rights of entry, to outright coercion and intimidation.
Bailiff visits also push people further into debt, as bailiff and court fees add an average £310 additional debt.
Not only does the use of bailiffs fail to generate more income for councils, it can actually make the problem worse, ultimately costing local and national government more in extra health, social care, employment and housing support (£9.7 billion more, to be precise).
A few years age one of our members in Manchester, Viv, had a bailiffs at her door threatening to take away her children’s toy, and to arrest. She worked as a childminder, and was looking after children at her home.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Making change happen
Some councils have made the move away from bailiff use and Hammersmith and Fulham Council have entirely ended the use of bailiffs.
Instead of beating on their residents’ doors at 6am, 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.
Ahead of the general election in July ACORN members decided to make the issue of bailiff use a key priority for the union, and throughout 2024 our branches have shown that local campaigns can build the power needed to force councils to change.
In January, Manchester City Council announced that residents in council tax debt won’t have bailiffs knocking at their door if they are eligible for council tax support, with £1 million in support pledged for struggling families. This was the result of a long running campaign by ACORN Manchester and Debt Justice, ranging from outreach to occupations of council meetings:
And in October, our Brighton branch declared victory in their year-long ‘Boot the Bailiffs’ campaign, meaning people on benefits in council tax debt will no longer be referred to bailiffs, with an additional £2.2 million pledged by the council to support the most vulnerable residents in the city!
And the fight continues in Birmingham, Haringey, and Leeds:
Our Bristol branch recently protested at a bailiff firm which saw them immediately turn to violence.
But we know our communities across the country are suffering due to bailiff visits, which is why we want to expand our campaigns in 2025.
Council use of bailiffs can end in 2025
We recently launched our Christmas appeal, a fundraiser to get the resources we need to launch new campaigns on this issue across the country, building a national movement to end the practice for good.
Please consider donating, sharing and supporting this fundraiser and our future campaigns on this issue – together we can make 2025 the year we turn the tide on council bailiff use and end this cruel and outdated practise for good.
Featured image via ACORN
