Council cuts bailiff use - but 23,000 cases chased by agents

The Money Advice Trust, which carried out the research, has written to Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe, calling on her to improve the council's debt collection practices.

However, Bradford Council’s bailiff use has fallen by 37 per cent on pre-pandemic levels and the local authority says it considers "all the options available to us before moving towards the use of enforcement action". 

The debts mostly related to parking fines (14,982) but there were 7,734 cases of council tax arrears being chased by bailiffs in 2022-23. Almost 500 business rates arrears went to the bailiffs, and two cases of housing benefit overpayments were referred to the agents for collection.

Bailiffs, known officially as enforcement agents, have the right to visit a property and can remove and sell goods to repay certain debts, including council tax arrears, parking penalty charge notices, and other debts. 

On its website, Bradford Council states other ways in which non-payment of council tax can be enforced, including deductions from salary or benefits, initiating bankruptcy or liquidation proceedings, and “committal to prison”.

Bradford City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

A spokesperson for Bradford Council said: “We always consider all the options available to us before moving towards the use of enforcement action. 

"Bailiffs should only ever be used as a last resort and before it gets to that stage, people will have been encouraged to apply for financial support from specially trained advisers.

"Anyone having trouble paying their council bills should get in touch with us for help and advice as soon as possible.

"Our internal enforcement agent team are used first, and only when a case is unsuccessful (no contact or refusal to engage), will a case be passed to the external enforcement agent. 

"The council is committed to maximising the amount of money it collects in council tax but will always do so in a responsible way.”

Richard Wilkinson, chief executive of Citizens Advice Bradford, said: "Our experience at Citizens Advice Bradford and Airedale of dealing with council-instructed bailiffs mainly relates to council tax. We have dealt with 117 cases of council tax arrears since April 2024 where the bailiffs are instructed.

"From the evidence available, and based on the experience of our staff on the frontline, Bradford Council appear to adhere to the protocols and policies that they have set out around use of bailiffs and vulnerable customers.

"Specialist money advisers report that the approach appears to have improved over the last five years or so.

"Council tax arrears appear to be an increasing issue of late across the district. 

"In July 2024 alone we dealt with 104 enquiries about council tax arrears, an increase of 25 per cent over the same period 12 months ago. 64 per cent of those cases are people with long-term health or disability issues."

Steve Vaid, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline, said: “The fact Bradford Council has decreased its use of bailiffs to collect debts is welcome, but there is still more to be done to improve debt collection practices for the benefit of both people in difficulty and councils.  

"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 Bradford 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.

“I would urge anyone in Bradford struggling with their finances to get in touch with National Debtline as soon as possible. Our expert advisers provide free, impartial support and can help residents make a plan whatever their circumstances.”

To contact the National Debtline, see nationaldebtline.org or telephone 0808 808 4000.