Myles Fitt sees positive progress being made

It’s not often that there’s promising news around council tax debt but today is different. As I’ve written in this column numerous times over the years, this is the most common type of debt that people bring to their local Citixens Advice Bureau (CAB). One of the key drivers of this, along with low incomes, is the quick and harsh nature of the debt recovery process for council tax. 

But now there are real signs that tangible progress can be made to reduce the number of individuals and families affected by, or at risk of, this problem.  

Firstly, following years of campaigning by Citizens Advice Scotland, the Scottish Government is funding a national project – which we are leading. Local CABs are working hand in hand with their councils to develop policies and practices that will reduce the impact of council tax debt on people who are financially struggling, while helping council tax collection rates.

This project is still in its early stages but already we’re seeing some fantastic examples of collaborative working, eg to increase awareness of council tax discounts and to focus on ways of identifying people who need support before they explicitly ask for it.

Secondly, the governments in the UK and Wales are consulting on reforming council tax collection processes. Positive proposals include more time to pay, more time for advice and support, provision of alternative payment arrangements, and avoiding excessive enforcement action. We have written, with the support of others, to the Scottish Government to urge them to join with the other nations of the UK to conduct a similar consultation and drive forward this kind of change. 

Allowing people more time to pay their arrears is perhaps the most important reform we would like to see. The debt recovery process is too quick and needs slowing, and a pause in the process is key to helping those who are struggling. This would allow people time to seek advice from agencies such as their local CAB to get budgeting help and income maximisation support so they’re in a better position to meet some, if not all, of the arrears. This would benefit the council too, as it will get council tax income it may not otherwise have received while reducing the costs of recovering the arrears.   

As I say, it is hugely promising to see to see momentum and movement in the right direction on this issue. And it’s real proof that our type of rational, compassionate evidenced-based advocacy can get results that will make a real difference to peoples’ lives. 

There is growing support across civic Scotland for a fairer system of council tax collection, one which puts a clearer emphasis on helping those in arrears but who are willing to pay, while balancing the needs of councils to collect their income. With the Holyrood election less than a year away, we - along with other charities - will be aiming to make sure that tackling council tax debt, and public sector debt more widely, is on the agenda of party manifestos and campaigns. Watch this space.  

Myles Fitt is head of the Financial Health team at Citizens Advice Scotland.

This column was first published in the Herald www.theherald.co.uk