Councils are getting tough over arrears of little as £1,200 – because they’re worried about yearly performance targets. Jamie Elliott reportsLocal authorities are rushing to make people bankrupt and repossessing homes for non-payment of small amounts of council tax in a bid to meet government targets. According to Citizens Advice, some councils are bypassing alternatives to bankruptcy and putting people’s homes at risk because other methods – such as putting a charge on someone’s property or negotiating a payment schedule – take too long and don’t help them meet council tax collection targets. ‘The performance targets say councils must collect the tax in the year it becomes due,’ says Peter Tutton, social policy officer for Citizens Advice. ‘We see councils failing to seek a negotiated settlement with a defaulter and going straight to enforcement, including bankruptcy, with the potential loss of the home. We have a case in Manchester where a family has been ordered to sell their home for a debt of just £1,200.’ Continue reading…
Source : theguardian.com
Read more…Alarm at rush to bankrupt council tax debtors
