HOUSEHOLDS are being urged to keep up with their council tax bills as over one million stop making payments.
Council tax is considered a priority bill, as not paying it can result in court action or even imprisonment.
But 1.3million households fell behind on the council tax bill in 2022/23, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent to local councils by the Money Advice Trust and the Centre for Social Justice think-tank.
These debts were passed on to bailiffs by local authorities in England and Wales, the FOI revealed.
The FOI also revealed that 1.2million parking debts and 127,000 other debts, including housing benefit overpayments, business rates and commercial rents were also refereed to bailiffs.
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.
Council tax is one of the household bills many are struggling with, with costs rising by an average of 5%, or £106, in April.
Steve Vaid, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline, said: “Local authorities across the country remain under significant financial strain and council tax collection plays a crucial role in funding vital local services.
“But with more than 1.3 million people struggling with council tax arrears, the scale of the use of enforcement agents by councils remains far too high.
“Facing bailiff action can be a deeply distressing experience, and risks pushing people who are already struggling into further financial difficulty.
“We need urgent action from central and local government to address this problem.”
Most households pay their council tax in monthly instalments over 10 or 12 months, but if you fall behind you can be asked to pay all the outstanding balance at once.
But struggling households can get help with council tax bills and if you’re worried about falling behind then it’s worth checking out what you could get.
If you can’t pay your council tax bill it’s best to let the council know immediately rather than putting it off.
They may be able to signpost you for extra support that you could be eligible for.
There are several ways you can get discounts and reductions on your council tax bill.
In some cases, you can even get the bill completely wiped.
Factors such as your household income, whether you have children, and if you receive any benefits, will influence what you get.
To apply for any of the below discounts, go through the government website.
You’ll need your National Insurance number, bank statements, a recent payslip or letter from the Jobcentre, and a passport or driving licence when filling out the details.
If you are not sure which local authority you live in, you can check the government’s council locator to find out.
Below we reveal all the ways you can get discounts on your bill or get it for free.
MANY local authorities hiked council tax bills in April - here's how to check if you're now paying more.
You’ll first need to find out what council tax band your home is in to work out how much you have to pay.
This can be done on Gov.uk for homes in England an Wales, or on the Scottish Assessors website if you live in Scotland.
You’ll need to enter in your postcode and scroll through the listed addresses to find yours.
Local councils must contact you directly to let you know if your bill is going up or down, for example, via a letter or email.
If you still haven’t heard from your council, you should contact them directly.
The contact details of your local council can be found on the Gov.uk postcode checker.
If you live on your own, you can get 25% off your council tax bill.
This also applies if there is one adult and one student living together in a property, or if there is one adult and one person classed as severely mentally impaired in the home.
If you live with someone who doesn’t have to pay council tax, such as a carer or someone who is severely mentally impaired, you could get a larger reduction too, of up to 50%.
And, if you live in an all-student household, you could get a 100% discount.
A full list of circumstances that exempt you from paying council tax can be found on Citizens Advice.
Pensioners may also find themselves eligible for a council tax reduction.
If you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you could get a 100% discount.
If not, you could still get help if you have a low income and less than £16,000 in savings.
And a pensioner who lives alone will be entitled to a 25% discount too.
If you are on a low income or receiving benefits, you could be eligible for a reduction on your council tax.
Whether you are eligible will vary depending on where you live.
You could also get a deferral if you’re struggling to pay your bill, or you can speak to your council about setting up a payment plan to manage the cost.
But one thing to remember is if you are struggling you should contact your council as early as you can.
You might be able to reduce the amount of council tax you pay by challenging your band.
Properties across the UK are put into a band from A to H, and this informs how much council tax you pay.
The bands were created based on property values back in 1991, so many households may find that based on today’s prices, they should be in a different band.
It’s worth checking yours to see if you could get a discount.
First, you need to find out what band you are in.
You can find this out by checking with your local authority or on the postcode checker.
Use the council tax band checker tool to see which band properties along your street are in.
If they are in a lower band than you are, you could successfully make a challenge and get yours lowered.
Contact the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) in England and Wales or the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) in Scotland to do this.
Gather together evidence showing you’re paying more – this could be having addresses of similar properties to yours in a lower band, for example.
If the VOA agrees that your property is in the wrong band, it will contact you to let you know your band will be changed.
It can take up to two months for the VOA to review your case.
But be warned – challenging your band might not work.
While you could get moved to a lower band and pay less, there’s also the chance the VOA could find you’re not paying enough.
This could mean you’re moved to a higher band – and your neighbours’ too.
If you disagree with the VOA’s ruling, you can appeal your case – but only if you’ve been told that you can when you get the decision.
You must appeal within three months of your decision – to do this, get in touch with the Valuation Tribunal Service.
If the Valuation Tribunal agrees with you, it will get the VOA to change your band – and your bill will change.
If you’re not eligible for a council tax discount – or you can’t move bands – there are other ways to get help.
You can make an application for what is called “discretionary relief” for your council tax bill by filling out a Section 13A application.
This means councils can reduce or completely wipe off a council tax debt you might have.
A previous Sun investigation found that councils have been wiping clean a record level of council tax debt in recent years over the Covid pandemic.
Nearly £2.7million worth of council tax debts was scrapped by local authorities over 2020/21.
Ask your council for the Section 13A form.
Once you’ve sent your Section 13A application over to your local authority, you should be told about a decision within 14 days.
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