WITH the ongoing cost of living crisis, people across Scotland are feeling growing financial pressures. For some falling behind on their council tax is just adding to their already tough living situation.
According to analysis by Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) of a poll it commissioned through YouGov, 276,186 people in Scotland had missed a council tax payment at least once last year.
Research from CAS also found that people are not aware of the harsher debt collection consequences of being in council tax arrears compared to other types of debt, such as loans or credit cards.
Councils can subject those in arrears of just one month to a “speedy debt enforcement” through a bank arrestment, which can include benefits, as a means of recovering payment.
CSA’s research also found that local authorities are overlooking potential opportunities to enable repayments to be made.
According to CSA on average, around one in three clients presenting debt at the bureau have council tax debt with this proportion increasing consistently higher for clients seeking support with multiple debt issues.
The Scottish debt charity StepChange said the average council tax arrears amount among Scots is £2075 during the second quarter of 2024, which is up from £1871 in comparison to the same quarter in 2023 – an increase of £204.
According to Jane Cundy (below), who is in arrears with her local authority for council tax, more needs to be done to help those who cannot afford to pay.
The 52-year-old has mobility and health problems and has been unable to work for several years due to her current condition so has to claim benefits to survive.
Cundy moved into a mobility flat owned by Wheatley Homes Glasgow, which is Scotland’s largest social landlord, in April this year.
She claimed that Wheatley Homes Glasgow is not following through on its promise to offer tenants “free, fair and expert benefits advice".
She said when she reached out to her Wheatley housing officer to ask for support on the paperwork she was told it's “not my problem”.
Cundy also said more confusion around the situation arose because Glasgow City Council had never sent her any billing for council tax, and claimed she was unaware she owed them money.
“I didn’t know until two sheriff officers showed up at my door,” she said.
“They just appeared and said you owe council tax.”
Cundy explained her confusion around the situation as she said: “How can I pay something if I don’t have a bill?”
She also claimed that the council has still not sent her a bill for her council tax, and added she was unaware if there have been any discounts considered due to her living alone plus her health issues.
Cundy was only able to get help from a housing officer once Living Rent, a national tenants' union, got involved.
The 52-year-old said she owes the local authority £549 in outstanding council tax, but can only pay £30 a month due to only getting £270 every two weeks from the Employment and Support Allowance.
“I was a nervous wreck,” Cundy explained after having the sheriff officers show up at her door.
She explained she has suffered from a range of physical conditions including two strokes, arthritis, and a blood clot in her brain which burst, along with mental health issues like depression.
When a housing officer visited Cundy after Living Rent's intervention, she described the experience as one which lacked empathy or care toward her situation. “He sat in my living room, and I took a trip and nearly fell,” she said. “He just sat there and went ‘are you alright’.”
Cundy said the housing officer didn’t offer any sort of financial help despite her asking for advice about the situation.
“I worry a lot about things,” she explained, adding that the situation of owing hundreds of pounds to the council just added to her stress.
Living Rent helped Cundy write a letter of demand Wheatley Homes take action to help her with the situation.
However, for Cundy, the council tax system needs to be addressed to people in similar situations as her.
She thinks people who are unable to work due to their health condition should be offered a larger discount on their council tax or for it to be scrapped altogether due to it putting more financial strain on their already tough situation.
“That’s what I want to see,” she said.
A Wheatley Homes Glasgow spokesperson said: “The tenant got in touch with us asking questions about her Council Tax bill and Sheriff Officers. We explained this is a matter for Glasgow City Council and offered her the use of a mobile phone to contact them to get advice.
“We asked the tenant if she’d like an appointment with our Welfare Benefits Team to see if we could do anything else to help, but she declined. The tenant has since accepted this offer and we’ve been able to make sure she is receiving all of the welfare benefits she is entitled to and also supported her to get an extra payment from her energy company.”
