Cheshire Councils Referred 26,000 Debts to Bailiffs

Council Tax Debts Primary Driver of Bailiff Referrals

Cheshire councils referred more than 26,000 debts to bailiffs in the last two years, new figures reveal. This equates to around 35 referrals every day.

The majority of these debts were for unpaid council tax, with 18,316 cases being referred to bailiffs. Other debts included business rates, housing benefit overpayments, and sundry debts.

Bailiff Referrals on the Rise

The number of debts being referred to bailiffs has been rising in recent years. In 2020/21, Cheshire councils referred 11,558 debts to bailiffs. This increased to 15,022 in 2021/22.

This rise is concerning, as bailiffs can have a significant impact on people's lives. They can seize goods, clamp vehicles, and even force entry into homes.

Concerns Over Use of Bailiffs

There are concerns that councils are using bailiffs too readily. Some campaigners believe that bailiffs should only be used as a last resort, after all other attempts to collect the debt have failed.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said that councils are "reluctant" to use bailiffs, but that they are sometimes necessary to collect debts that cannot be collected through other means.