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Select Committee · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee

Council Tax Collection

Status: Closed Opened: 15 Nov 2021 Closed: 6 Mar 2024 12 recommendations 9 conclusions 1 report

This inquiry will lookinto council tax collection in England, examining the practices employed by local authorities to collect council tax arrears. The inquiry will also look at other issues including whether there should be changes to the legislation on the recovery of council tax arrears, and how local authority council tax support schemes affect council … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - Council Tax Collection HC 57 1 Dec 2023 21 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
5 Conclusion Second Report - Council Tax Collection Acknowledged

Imprisonment for council tax arrears is a disproportionate sanction impacting household essentials.

We are concerned that the threat of enforcement might mean people are putting their council tax payments ahead of heating and eating. In particular, we believe the ultimate sanction of imprisonment is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's concerns regarding the threat of enforcement and imprisonment for council tax non-payment, explaining that imprisonment is a rarely used sanction for those who can but wilfully refuse to pay, with existing safeguards in place.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
27 Feb 2023 Lee Rowley · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Nico Heslop · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government View ↗
6 Jun 2022 Alistair Townsend · Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation, Catherine Brown · Enforcement Conduct Board, Councillor Stephanie Cryan · London Borough of Southwark, Kevin Stewart · Mid Sussex District Council, Paul Whyte · Whyte & Co Ltd, Rachel Beddow · Citizens Advice, Russell Hamblin-Boone · Civil Enforcement Association View ↗

Who gave evidence

9 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alistair Townsend · National President Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation 1
Catherine Brown · Chair Enforcement Conduct Board 1
Councillor Stephanie Cryan · Cabinet Member for Finance, Democracy and Digital London Borough of Southwark 1
Kevin Stewart · Business Unit Leader, Revenues and Benefits Mid Sussex District Council 1
Lee Rowley · Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 1
Nico Heslop · Director of Local Government Finance Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 1
Paul Whyte · Managing Partner Whyte & Co Ltd 1
Rachel Beddow · Principal Policy Manager Citizens Advice 1
Russell Hamblin-Boone · CEO Civil Enforcement Association 1

Correspondence

8 letters
DateDirectionTitle
14 May 2024 To cttee Letter from the Minister for Local Government to the Chair dated 2 May 2024 con…
14 May 2024 To cttee Letter from the UK Information Commissioner to the Chair dated 2 May 2024 conce…
16 Apr 2024 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Information Commissioner's Office dated 15 April 2…
16 Apr 2024 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State dated 15 April 2024 concerning …
18 Jul 2023 To cttee Letter from the Enforcement Conduct Board to the Chair dated 14 July 2023 conce…
18 Apr 2023 To cttee Letter from the Enforcement Conduct Board to the Chair dated 28 March 2023 conc…
18 Oct 2022 To cttee Letter from the Enforcement Conduct Board to the Chair dated 10 October 2022 co…
12 Jul 2022 — Letters from the Civil Enforcement Association to the Chair dated 20 June 2022 …