arrears

The UK’s three largest debt charities are urging the government to implement simple measures that could protect millions of people from the prospect of spiralling council tax debt.

When people miss a single council tax payment they automatically became liable for the full year’s bill, and the rules push councils to use the court process to collect arrears.

Since 2014 it has been more common for people to seek help about essential bills, such as energy or council tax, than consumer credit, such as credit cards.

For the first time since the poll tax, some of the lowest-income households have been required to pay local tax.