Citizens Advice Scotland is warning that Council Tax arrears could soar this year after new data showed its clients need help clearing debts almost three times higher than the average bill as a result of the cost of living crisis. The charity revealed that people using its free and confidential advice service owed a cumulative £12.7 million to local authorities for unpaid Council Tax between September 2021 and September 2022.
Citizens Advice Scotland’s financial health spokesman Myles Fitt, said: “Council Tax debt is the biggest debt issue the Citizens Advice network deals with and these figures suggest the cost of living crisis could see an explosion in the levels of arrears across the country as people prioritise expenditure for immediate cost of living needs. Clients owe over £12.7 million in arrears, with the average debt being almost three times as much as the average bill.”
He urged people to check if they are entitled to any savings or exemptions through the Council Tax Reduction scheme using the dedicated page on the Citizens Advice website here.
