South Holland council raises write-off threshold as more than £100k in unpaid tax and rates deemed ‘unrecoverable’

South Holland District Council has agreed to increase the financial threshold at which unpaid council tax and business rates can be written off as unrecoverable. The decision follows a report to councillors stating that more than £100,000 in outstanding sums has been assessed by council officers as unlikely to be recovered after standard collection and enforcement action. The council said it would continue to pursue unpaid amounts where recovery is considered possible, including through reminders, payment arrangements and legal enforcement, and that write-offs would be considered only after other options have been explored. A council spokesperson said the change is intended to ensure write-off decisions are handled efficiently while maintaining appropriate oversight and accountability. The council has not provided a breakdown of the individual cases included in the total, and it has not identified any specific households or businesses.