FOI request (FOIR-717109631)

Use of bailiffs to collect council tax debt in 2024/25 and 2023/24

Requested Fri 23 May 2025
Responded Wed 25 June 2025

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, we would like to request the following information.

1. Tax year 24/25: The number of times between 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority.

2. Tax year 23/24: The number of times between 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority.

Please provide a separate figure for each tax year, rather than a combined figure.

By 'private bailiffs/enforcement agents' we mean those who are self-employed or who work for private companies, including as high court enforcement officers. Please include cases where local authority employees have visited a property to enforce a warrant of control.

3. Do you currently have a policy of exempting recipients of Council Tax Support/Reduction from the use of bailiff action? (Yes/No)

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Response

Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.

1. Tax year 24/25 - 9 times

2. Tax year 23/24 - 9 times