Response 2529014
Response to request for information
Reference
2529014
Response date
24th & 30th November 2023
Request
- The number of times between 1st April 2022 and 31st March 2023, or the nearest available twelve-month period, that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce debts to the local authority relating to each of the following;
- Council Tax
- Parking
- Housing Benefit overpayments
- Business Rates
- Commercial Rents
- Any other debt types, including any other overpayments.
By “private bailiffs/enforcement agents” we mean those who are self-employed or who work for private companies, including as high court enforcement officers. Please include cases where local authority employees have visited a property to enforce a warrant of control.
- Before seeking a liability order for a resident for Council Tax arrears, do you take any of the following steps? Please indicate the steps you take.
- Assessment of their income and expenditure,
- Assessment of whether the resident (or anyone else) in their household is vulnerable,
- Referral to your Council Tax Reduction / Support scheme,
- Referral to income maximisation,
- Referral to a free debt advice organisation.
- Do you signpost residents to one or more free debt advice agencies as part of your Council Tax collections process? (Yes/No) If so, which charities?
- Have you adopted the Standard Financial Statement as a tool for objectively assessing income and expenditure as part of your Council Tax collections process? (Yes/No)
- Do you have a formal policy in place for dealing with residents in vulnerable circumstances as part of your collections process for Council Tax arrears? (Yes/No)
If so, please may you provide a copy of the policy if it is for public consumption. - Do you currently have a policy of exempting recipients of Council Tax Support / Reduction from the use of bailiff action? (Yes/No)
- Have you adopted the Citizens Advice/Local Government Association Council Tax Protocol? (Yes/No)
With reference to question 2, please could you provide a ‘Yes/No’ answer against the different categories which have been provided.
Response
- The number of times between 1st April 2022 and 31st March 2023, or the nearest available twelve-month period, that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce debts to the local authority relating to each of the following;
- Council Tax
01/04/2022 – 31/03/2023 - 2047 - Business Rates
01/04/2022 – 31/03/2023 – 100 - Parking Services
01/04/2022 - 31/03/2023 - 130
- Council Tax
- Before seeking a liability order for a resident for Council Tax arrears, do you take any of the following steps? Please indicate the steps you take.
- Assessment of their income and expenditure,
- Assessment of whether the resident (or anyone else) in their household is vulnerable,
- Referral to your Council Tax Reduction / Support scheme,
- Referral to income maximisation,
- Referral to a free debt advice organisation.
Details can be found on our website at the following link
Council Tax Recovery and Enforcement Policy 2023 - Rushcliffe Borough Council
- Do you signpost residents to one or more free debt advice agencies as part of your Council Tax collections process? (Yes/No) If so, which charities?
Details can be found on our website
Council Tax Recovery and Enforcement Policy 2023 - Rushcliffe Borough Council
- Have you adopted the Standard Financial Statement as a tool for objectively assessing income and expenditure as part of your Council Tax collections process? (Yes/No)
No - Do you have a formal policy in place for dealing with residents in vulnerable circumstances as part of your collections process for Council Tax arrears? (Yes/No)
Details can be found on our website
Council Tax Recovery and Enforcement Policy 2023 - Rushcliffe Borough Council
- Do you currently have a policy of exempting recipients of Council Tax Support / Reduction from the use of bailiff action? (Yes/No)
No - Have you adopted the Citizens Advice/Local Government Association Council Tax Protocol? (Yes/No)
No
Before seeking a liability order for a resident for Council Tax arrears, do you take any of the following steps? Please indicate the steps you take.
- Assessment of their income and expenditure.
Yes if they contact us with the information
- Assessment of whether the resident (or anyone else) in their household is vulnerable.
Yes if we hold the information
- Referral to your Council Tax Reduction / Support scheme.
Yes
- Referral to income maximisation.
No
- Referral to a free debt advice organisation.
No