Herefordshire use of bailiffs/enforcement agents to collect council tax debt in 2024/25 and 2023/24
Case reference FOI2025/01021
Received 23 May 2025
Published 16 June 2025
Request
Please provide a separate figure for each tax year, rather than a combined figure.
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.
1. Tax year 24/25: The number of times between 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority.
2. Tax year 23/24: The number of times between 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority.
3. Do you currently have a policy of exempting recipients of Council Tax Support / Reduction from the use of bailiff action? (Yes/No)
Response
Please provide a separate figure for each tax year, rather than a combined figure.
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.
1. Tax year 24/25: The number of times between 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority.
3,134 cases
2. Tax year 23/24: The number of times between 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024 that private bailiffs/enforcement agents have been instructed to enforce council tax debts owed to the local authority.
2,960 cases
3. Do you currently have a policy of exempting recipients of Council Tax Support / Reduction from the use of bailiff action? (Yes/No)
No, however, we will only send cases to the enforcement agent as a last resort and would endeavor to contact the debtors as per the council’s Debt Recovery Policy which can be viewed via the following link: https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/downloads/file/24382/debt-recovery-policy
Documents
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