Use of Bailiffs/Enforcement Agents to Collect Council Tax Debt in 2025/26
Case reference FOI2026/00960
Received 20 April 2026
Published 6 May 2026
Request
FOI Request – Herefordshire use of bailiffs/enforcement agents to collect council tax debt in 2025/26
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, we would like to request the following information.
1. Tax year 25/26: The number of times between 1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority.
By “private bailiffs/enforcement agents” we mean those who are self-employed or who work for private companies, including as high court enforcement officers. Please include cases where local authority employees have visited a property to enforce a warrant of control.
2. Do you currently have a policy of exempting recipients of Council Tax Support / Reduction from the use of bailiff action? (Yes/No)
Response
FOI Request – Herefordshire use of bailiffs/enforcement agents to collect council tax debt in 2025/26
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, we would like to request the following information.
1. Tax year 25/26: The number of times between 1st April 2025 – 31st March 2026 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority.
By “private bailiffs/enforcement agents” we mean those who are self-employed or who work for private companies, including as high court enforcement officers. Please include cases where local authority employees have visited a property to enforce a warrant of control.
Answer: 4,351.
2. Do you currently have a policy of exempting recipients of Council Tax Support / Reduction from the use of bailiff action? (Yes/No)
Answer: No.
The Service Area have advised we will only send cases to the enforcement agent as a last resort and would attempt contact with the debtors as per the council’s Debt Recovery Policy which can be viewed via the following link:
https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/media/t2po5j22/debt_recovery_policy.pdf
Documents
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