Use of bailiffs by local authorities up by 30% in two years: report

According to the research, bailiff use increased from 1.3 million referrals for the financial year 2022/23 to 1.7 million referrals for 2024/25.

Over the same period, the average council tax for a Band D property in England increased by 10%, while rates of arrears have “rocketed”, said Debt Justice.

The group observed that councils have faced “mounting criticism” for their approach to debt collection from across the charity and consumer advocacy sector.

Dean Burn, a member of Debt Justice’s Community Organising group, claimed: “Using bailiffs is an outdated and harmful way to treat people in debt. While bailiff firms profit from the hardship they create, those struggling to keep up with rising bills endure soul destroying stress and extra costs. All while bailiffs return very little to councils. Local councils need to change. Stop punishing people in debt, help them instead.”

In May this year, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB) signed a “memorandum of understanding” to aid better investigation of complaints and concerns about enforcement agents - more commonly known as bailiffs.

The memorandum set out how the two organisations will work together to ensure people’s complaints and concerns are “heard properly”, with both organisations committing to putting complainants' best interests “at the heart of the process”.

The Ombudsman investigates complaints about bailiffs acting on behalf of local authorities in England, for instance when recovering council tax or parking debts.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government launched a consultation on “modernising and improving the administration of council tax”, including debt collection practices.

Toby Murray, Policy and Campaigns Manager for Debt Justice, warned: “While the government’s consultation on council tax debt reform is welcome, it explicitly rules out addressing councils’ reliance on bailiffs. The government must put the needs of people in debt first and ban bailiffs once and for all.”

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Local Government Association (LGA) have been approached for comment.

Lottie Winson