answer text |
<p>As at 31 March 2014, Barnsley council reported that the cumulative council tax
arrears in their area was £11.1 million. The corresponding figure for South Yorkshire
(i.e. Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham & Sheffield) was £68.9 million. The total
cumulative council tax arrears as at 31 March 2014 for the whole of England was £2.53
billion.</p><p> </p><p>We do not produce figures for the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The figures
are calculated by adding the amount of council tax that was uncollected within the
year to the council tax arrears brought forward, less any receipts received in respect
of previous years’ arrears, less any council tax written off as uncollectable.</p><p>
</p><p>In our best practice document, “50 ways to save”, we listed improving council
tax collection rates and reducing arrears as a key way of making sensible savings
to help keep overall council tax bills down and protect frontline services. Every
penny of council tax that is not collected means a higher council tax for the law-abiding
citizen who does pay on time.</p><p> </p><p>It is important that councils are sympathetic
to those in genuine hardship, are proportionate in enforcement and do not overuse
bailiffs. However, these figures show that there is a significant source of income
for councils, which they could use to support frontline service or cut council tax
bills.</p>
|
|