North East Lincolnshire Council has unveiled plans to reassess its current council tax debt recovery procedures, following a unanimous agreement between councillors. Leader of the Labour group, Emma Clough, critiqued the current system, labelling it ‘outdated and unnecessary’. She underscored the importance of adopting a more sympathetic approach towards those residents grappling with their bill payments.
In response, the council is focusing less on stringent enforcement and more on prevention and providing early support. Of particular concern to Clough is the current practice that places residents in a position of footing the bill for the entire year’s tax, court expenses, and the risk of bailiff action if they fail to make even a single payment. Such measures are put into place without any meaningful conversation with the residents.
In the 2024/25 period, The Money Advice Trust recorded a decrease in bailiff appointments with a total of 8,732, compared to previous years. The Trust’s campaign, termed ‘Stop the Knock’, is a strong advocate for resorting to bailiffs only when extremely necessary.
Councillor Stephen Holland lends his support to these changes, accepting that despite North and North East Lincolnshire’s celebrated relationship with debt advisors, there is still scope for advancements in alignment with the government’s best practice guidelines.
The contents of this story were derived from original reports by www.bbc.com, and reworked for The Lincoln Post.
