Paul Howarth looks at new research about the collection of council tax in London commissioned by the Greater London Authority and published by Policy in Practice today.
Why we all need flexible collection policies for council tax debt
Janet Harkin Published on 28th January 2021
How council tax is collected can have an impact on the lives of low-income households. The handling of council tax arrears and the extra costs that can be incurred in the collection process can cause extreme poverty or destitution, and may increase levels of problem debt.
Local authorities in England can choose how to collect council tax, and different best practice models designed to collect from financially vulnerable citizens are emerging. Policy in Practice has reviewed different collection processes across London for the Greater London Authority and evaluated their impact on citizens and councils.
Listen back to hear:
- Barriers to the adoption of more flexible policies
- Empirical evidence of the factors influencing collection rates
- How councils can optimise collection rates whilst also protecting vulnerable citizens
View slides (no audio) here
A new approach to the collection of council tax in London
Council Tax debt collection and low-income Londoners
The Greater London Authority (GLA) has commissioned Policy in Practice to undertake an evaluation of flexible, customer-centric debt collection practices for low-income Londoners. This project focuses on deepening the GLA’s understanding of the business case for council tax collection practices that more effectively support low-income households.
