FOI request (FOIR-490075254)

Council tax debt

Requested Thu 23 February 2023
Responded Fri 21 April 2023

Please provide figures on non-payment of council tax. Please provide figures for the financial years 2016/17 and 2021/22. Please also provide figures for 2022/23 up to 31/01/2023.

1. How many liability order proceedings for non-payment of council tax were commenced each year?

2. What was the mean average value of council tax owed for the proceedings commenced in question 1?

3. How many times has the council instructed bailiffs to enforce liability orders for non-payment of council tax?

4. What was the mean average level of the debts that led to these instructions to bailiffs, as identified in question 3?

5. How many people have been sent to prison for non-payment of council tax?

6. In total, how many times have the council instructed bailiffs for non-payment of council tax AND any other debts, for example, non-payment of PCNs and so on?

7. Does the council have a formal vulnerability policy as part of its debt collection or debt recovery policy that outlines how to deal with vulnerable residents who are in debt to the council?

Response

Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.

Council Tax

1.

2016/17 - 1,416

2021/22 - 6,67

2022/23 - 3,862 (Up to 31 January 2023)

2.

2016/17 - £860.31

2021/22 - £1,434.29

2022/23 - £1,401.68 (Up to 31 January 2023)

3.

2016/17 - 1,584

2021/22 - 3,346

2022/23 - 2,434 (Up to 31 January 2023)

4.

2016/17 - £721.28

2021/22 - £1,473.50

2022/23 - £1,463.36 (Up to 31 January 2023)

5. None for Council Tax.

6. Council Tax figures for Instructions to Bailiffs is listed in questions 3 and 4.

7. The Council has an Anti-Poverty Strategy.

The following information is for Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for off-street parking (car parks) only. On-street parking is dealt with by East Sussex County Council: https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk

Instructions to the Enforcement Agent for non payment of PCNs:

2016/2017 - Information not held

2021/22 - 478

2022/23 - 175 (Up to 28 February 2023)