Guides

Straight answers to the questions people ask about council tax, bailiffs and debt. Written for people dealing with it, not for people studying it.

For the full picture on a topic, start with our main sections on council tax, bailiffs and debt solutions.

Bailiffs

What bailiffs can and cannot do, and how to deal with them.

  • A bailiff is at the door. What should I do?

    You do not have to let a bailiff in for council tax. Keep the door shut, stay calm, and deal with them through the door or by phone. Here is what to do, step by step.

  • Bailiffs and vulnerable people

    If you or someone you live with is vulnerable, bailiffs must treat you differently, and in some cases cannot charge their biggest fee. But they will only know if you tell them.

  • Can bailiffs force entry?

    For council tax, bailiffs cannot force their way into your home on a first visit. They can only come in if you, or someone else, lets them in. There is one important exception, and it is worth knowing about.

  • Can bailiffs refuse a payment plan?

    Bailiffs do not have to accept a payment plan, but most will agree one that is realistic. If they insist on full payment, you still have options, the most important being your council.

  • Can bailiffs take my car?

    Yes, bailiffs can clamp and take a car to pay council tax arrears, but only if it belongs to you and is not protected. Cars on finance, Motability cars and cars with a blue badge usually cannot be taken.

  • Can bailiffs take things that are not mine?

    No. Bailiffs can only take goods that belong to the person who owes the debt. But they may assume things in your home are yours unless you show otherwise, so it helps to know how to prove it.

  • How many times can a bailiff visit?

    There is no set limit on the number of times a bailiff can visit. But only one visit fee can be charged per case, however many times they come, and there are rules about when and how they visit.

  • How to stop bailiffs for council tax

    The most effective way to stop bailiffs is through your council, not the bailiff firm. Here are the routes that work, from the quickest to the most formal, and when to use each.

  • Notice of enforcement: what the letter means and what to do

    A notice of enforcement is the first letter from the bailiff firm. It gives you at least 14 clear days before anyone can visit. Act in that time and you avoid the biggest fee.

  • What happens if bailiffs have nothing to take?

    If there is nothing a bailiff can take, the debt does not disappear. The case usually goes back to your council, which has other ways to collect. Here is what happens, and how to get ahead of it.

  • What is a bailiff? Enforcement agents explained

    A bailiff is someone with legal power to collect a debt by taking control of goods. For council tax, the official name is enforcement agent. They have real powers, but far fewer than most people think.

  • What stops bailiffs? Debt Relief Orders, IVAs and Breathing Space

    Several formal options stop bailiffs collecting council tax arrears. Each works differently, and none stops them unless the bailiff firm and your council know about it.

  • What time can bailiffs come, and do they work weekends?

    Bailiffs can visit your home between 6am and 9pm, on any day of the week, including weekends and bank holidays. Here is what that means in practice, and when they cannot come.

  • When do bailiffs get involved, and do they need a court order?

    Bailiffs can only get involved in council tax once your council has a liability order from the magistrates' court. From a missed payment, that can happen within a few months.

Council tax

Falling behind, what happens next, and paying less.

  • Attachment of earnings for council tax: how much can they take, and can you stop it?

    Once your council has a liability order, it can tell your employer to take council tax arrears straight from your wages. The amount is set by law. You cannot appeal it, but you can often get it replaced with something you can afford.

  • Can council tax debt be written off?

    Council tax arrears can be written off, but only in a few specific ways. More often, the debt can be reduced, sometimes substantially, by claiming help you should have had. Here is what works.

  • Can you go to prison for not paying council tax?

    In England it is still possible, but it is rare, and only as a last resort. A court can only send someone to prison if they have wilfully refused to pay or culpably neglected it. Not being able to afford it is never a reason. In Wales and Scotland it cannot happen at all.

  • Council tax and dementia: the severe mental impairment discount

    If someone in your home has dementia or a similar condition, you may be paying too much council tax. The severe mental impairment rules can mean 25% off, 50% off, or no bill at all, and it can often be backdated for years.

  • Council tax court summons: what happens and what to do

    A council tax summons means your council has applied to the magistrates' court for a liability order. Costs are added, but the hearing date is also your best chance to agree an arrangement before bailiffs get involved.

  • Council tax discounts for carers

    If you care for someone you live with, you may not be counted for council tax, which can bring a discount. There is other help too, for you and for the person you care for.

  • Council tax on a granny annexe

    A granny annexe usually has its own council tax band. But if a dependent relative lives in it, it can be exempt, and if it is used as part of the main home or by a relative, it gets 50% off.

  • Council Tax Reduction: who qualifies and how to apply

    Council Tax Reduction, also called Council Tax Support, cuts your council tax bill if you are on a low income or claim benefits. It can cover up to the whole bill. Many people who are entitled to it never claim.

  • Council tax refunds and overpayments

    If you have paid more council tax than you owed, your council should refund it or credit it to your account. The biggest refunds usually come from discounts and exemptions that were missed and are then backdated.

  • Council tax single person discount

    If you are the only adult who counts as living in your home, you get 25% off your council tax. That includes more people than you might think, because some adults are not counted at all.

  • Council tax when you move house

    Council tax is charged by the day, so when you move you pay your old council up to the day you leave, and your new council from the day you arrive. Telling both councils quickly avoids bills and arrears you do not owe.

  • Do pensioners pay council tax?

    Yes, there is no automatic exemption for pensioners. But a lot of help is available, and many older people who are entitled to it do not claim. On Pension Credit, your whole bill can often be covered.

  • Do students pay council tax?

    Full-time students do not pay council tax. A home where everyone is a full-time student is exempt, and a student living with others is not counted. Part-time students are treated differently.

  • Does council tax debt affect your credit score?

    Not directly. Councils do not report council tax to credit reference agencies, and a council tax liability order is not a CCJ. But some of the things that can follow from it do show up.

  • Is there a time limit on council tax debt?

    There is a six-year limit, but it is narrower than most people hope. It only stops your council getting a liability order. Once an order has been made, there is no time limit on collecting it.

  • What happens if you don't pay council tax?

    Council tax arrears move quickly. Miss a payment and, within weeks, the whole year's bill can be due, followed by court costs and then bailiffs or deductions. The good news: there is something you can do at every stage.

  • Which months don't you pay council tax?

    Most people pay council tax in 10 monthly instalments, from April to January, so February and March are payment-free. You do not have to: you have a right to spread it over 12 months instead.

  • Why council tax arrears keep rising, and what it means if you are behind

    Council tax arrears have grown every year for a decade. The reasons are structural, which matters, because it tells you something useful about how your council will respond.

Scotland

Sheriff officers, summary warrants and wage arrestments.

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