UK council tax arrears reached £6bn annually, a two-thirds increase since pre-pandemic times, affecting 1.3 million households.

Council tax arrears in the UK reached £6 billion annually, a two-thirds increase since pre-pandemic times, according to a Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) report. Over 1.3 million households, many low-income, struggled to pay their bills, with enforcement measures potentially exacerbating their financial difficulties. The CSJ calls for smarter, longer-term strategies, tailored repayment terms for struggling households, and improved regulation of the bailiff industry. The report also suggests amending the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to eliminate the requirement of a full annual payment after one missed installment.