New government rules will give people more time to get help with council tax debt – in a shake up that will support people before they face enforcement action.
Here is everything you need to know about what is changing and when.
What is changing? 📰
From April next year:
📬 More warning if you miss a payment: Councils will have to send a reminder and then a final notice before someone who may have missed a payment loses the option to pay in instalments. At the moment, councils only have to send one reminder and can then demand the remaining year’s payment in full.
🗓️ More time to get back on track: To help people get back on track if they have missed a payment, the changes will mean the final notice for council tax payment must be sent at least 14 days after the reminder and at least 41 days after the first missed payment. People will then have another 21 days before losing the option to pay in instalments.
📋 The same clear process, wherever you live: government will also work with councils and debt support organisations to develop guidance and an optional template letter to help make information easier to understand and more consistent, that way everyone knows where they stand with repayment rules.
Other changes to make council tax fairer 📜
🔄 These new rules build on changes already announced to give more protection to households struggling to pay council tax. These include:
🗓️ More time to pay: From April 2027, households will have at least 63 days before they lose the option to pay in instalments. Currently in England, if you miss a monthly payment, councils can, within just three weeks, demand payment for an entire year.
💷 Smaller monthly payments: From April 2028, council tax bills will be spread over 12 months by default instead of 10, making each payment easier to manage.
🤝 More support before debt recovery: Councils will have clear steps to follow and should work with people before taking action to recover unpaid council tax.
Together, these changes will give people who are struggling to pay more time, clearer information and better support before the situation becomes more serious. More details are available here.
Recent Comments