‘We already do’: Council responds to criticisms from charity over debt support

Figures showing the borough council’s use of bailiffs last year have sparked debate between organisations.Research conducted by National Debtline, a non-profit organisation which offers free financial advice, has revealed that West Norfolk Borough Council referred 3,219 debts to bailiffs during 2022 and 2023, leading the charity to call for improvement in the way council tax arrears and other debts are collected.National Debtline believes bailiff use remains too high and is pushing the council to adopt ‘six steps’ to improve collection practices, which include exempting residents receiving council tax support from bailiff action, putting in formal policies for those in vulnerable circumstances and making strides towards understanding household circumstances before liability orders are sought out, among others.

“Local authorities remain under significant financial pressure and council tax plays a crucial role in funding vital local services,” said Steve Vaid, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline.“Facing bailiff action, however, can be a distressing experience and risks pushing people already struggling into deeper financial difficulty – bailiffs should only ever be used as a last resort.“Unfortunately, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council’s use of bailiffs remains high.”The charity wants the government to support the borough council and others by introducing ring-fenced funding, so all local authorities can provide 100% council tax support to households on the lowest incomes.However, the borough council claims that giving support to those who are in more vulnerable positions is something they already offer. Agreeing with National Debtline, the spokesperson said: “People who have debts should seek free debt advice, for example through the service for people in West Norfolk that the council pays for.“We are sure they would be pleased to discover that their call for us to provide up to 100% Council Tax support for people on the lowest incomes is something we already do.” The spokesperson added that the council makes every effort to support people by making arrangements to pay debt off gradually or referring them for specialist advice to help with managing their finances.“The council also does a range of work to support people more generally, for example through hardship funds, its Cost of Living project and the Food for Thought sessions it runs to help make sure people on a tight budget can still enjoy eating healthily,” they added.“We only refer to an enforcement agency as a last resort, usually when someone has not engaged with us. “Even then we require our enforcement agents to have policies in place to identify vulnerable people.“The council has a duty to collect money owed but we make every effort to do so in a way that recognises people’s individual circumstances and any vulnerabilities, and supports them to manage their money in all areas of their lives.”Do you have a story for Lynn News? Email newsdesk@lynnnews.co.uk