Changes are on the way to help people who are struggling with
missed council tax payments. It'll give local authorities more
time to engage with people to prevent debt escalating
quickly.
There will also be clearer rules for reminder and final notices.
Part of the change will mean households in Wales will have 63
days to address missed council tax payments before enforcement
action can be taken, when new rules come into force next April.
Currently, missing a council tax payment means people can become
liable for the full annual bill if they don't pay within seven
days of receiving a reminder under outdated legislation. This
rule doesn't reflect the sympathetic approach councils in Wales
already take when supporting households.
These changes will give families crucial extra time to get
support while ensuring councils can still act against those
deliberately avoiding payment. It will deliver a fairer council
tax system while maintaining effective collection of funds for
essential public services.
It comes after a Welsh Government consultation, which had more
than 250 responses from local authorities, advice organisations
and members of the public.
A significant majority of those who took part in the consultation
supported extending the minimum period to 62 days from one missed
instalment to becoming liable for the remaining annual balance,
as well as supporting other changes focussed on prevention and
better engagement.
Finance Secretary said:
“We're supporting councils to prevent rapid escalation of council
tax debt, by giving more time for households to recover from
unexpected setbacks, check eligibility for support, and get back
on track. Anyone struggling to pay council tax should contact
their council as soon as possible, or use the free advice
services available through the Welsh Government's Claim What's
Yours service.”
