The council with the largest tax increase in England this spring has taken out more than 27,000 court orders in 10 months against residents that have not paid their tax, figures show.
Bradford Council is upping council tax by 9.9 per cent from April after being given special permission by the Government.
But even before this bill increase, thousands of households in the local authority are being chased for unpaid debt, with campaigners saying the rising costs will mean more families struggle to pay their bills.
Figures released to The i Paper show that between April last year and the start of February, Bradford Council obtained 27,922 liability orders – a type of court order that requires someone to pay a debt – after householders missed paying bills.
It means bailiffs can visit the households to reclaim the debt, or the money can be taken straight from benefits, or employers.
If none of these measures work, the council can take a household to court.
The liability orders were requested after 30,192 summonses were sent to billpayers to settle their full annual council tax bill after missing payments.
A total of 2,270 of these cases did not end up resulting in orders, with the council saying this is because the households involved either paid their bill in full, or the summons was withdrawn.
The number of summonses sent by the council has steadily increased over the past few tax years, with 12,198 being sent in 2020/21, 33,094 in 2022/23, 34,796 in 2022/23, and 37,727 sent in 2023/24, the last full tax year.
The 30,192 sent in 2024/25 is likely to increase, as the tax year has not yet ended and runs until the start of April.
The figures came via a freedom of information request.
Bradford is planning a 9.99 per cent council tax rise for 2024/25 – which is lower than the 14.99 per cent increase the council had requested.
Bradford Council says on its website: “If a liability order is granted, we will take appropriate enforcement action as quickly as possible, unless you have made an arrangement for payment.”
Andrew Dixon, chairman of Fairer Share, which campaigns for council tax reform, said: “With a relatively high number of households already clearly struggling to pay their bills, a bumper rise in council tax, such as the 10 per cent increase in Bradford, is clearly not the answer, as it will push more families into debts they cannot afford.
“Council tax has become an outdated and desperately unfair burden on low and middle-income families. These liability orders are deeply concerning and highlight the need for fundamental reform of this iniquitous tax.
“Sadly council tax has morphed into a wealth tax on hardworking families, but remains a service charge for the more affluent.”
Analysis by the Resolution Foundation has found that the poorest households are paying an increasing proportion of their income on council tax.
The think tank said the poorest fifth of households across the UK paid 4.8 per cent of their income on council tax in 2020/21, up from 2.9 per cent in 2002/03 and three times more than the 1.5 per cent spent by the richest fifth.
Lalitha Try, an economist at the foundation, said: “This terribly designed tax increasingly resembles the very thing it was meant to replace – the dreaded poll tax.”
Conor D’Arcy, deputy chief executive of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, added: “Council tax funds vital public services. But the way many local authorities are chasing council tax debts is causing harm, can be counterproductive and is much more aggressive than what banks or credit card companies are allowed to do.
“The vast majority of people who have missed council tax payments are on a low income, and are twice as likely to have a mental health problem.”
Bradford is a Labour-run local authority has has been granted special authorisation to increase council tax by nearly 10 per cent this April as it battles to stave off bankruptcy.
The council said the rise would reduce required borrowing costs “by about £5.5m a year” over the next 20 years and help to protect services.
It is one of six local authorities in England permitted to increase council tax beyond 4.99 per cent withour holding a local referendum
Most councils in England set their rise at the 4.99 per cent mark. Just 15 are planning rises below that.
Residents have told The i Paper they may be unable to pay increased bills from spring. But others have pointed out that services need to improve and the rise in council tax is needed in order for that to happen.
Bradford Council said non-payment of council tax was a common issue for local authorities and that its non-payment rates were similar to other large councils.
A spokesperson for the council added: “Every penny from Council Tax is crucial for delivering services to the most vulnerable residents. Most residents pay on time, and non-payment is unfair to them and affects council services. Our team works hard to recover unpaid funds.
We understand the cost-of-living crisis is challenging. We support those in genuine financial difficulty with information and advice. We’ve kept Council Tax as low as possible, currently we are the cheapest in West Yorkshire.
“If the proposed 9.99 per cent rise is approved, Bradford Council will still be charging at a rate which is below the national average. We will also introduce a new hardship fund to help the least well-off on top of the council tax reduction programme which already exists.
“We actively support those struggling to pay council tax by engaging early with reminders, texts, and emails to prevent formal recovery actions. This additional contact helps alert customers about missed payments and encourages them to discuss their accounts, often avoiding court costs.
“We also direct residents to other available help, such as council tax discounts, exemptions, and welfare and debt advice.”
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