BASILDON Council called in the bailiffs more than 5,000 times last year to chase up unpaid tax bills and fines.

The number of cases referred to bailiffs – 5,160 – in 2014/15 represents a huge increase on the previous year’s total of 3,474.

The council says changes to the council tax benefit system for the rise in incidents.

At the end of the last financial year, Basildon Council was owed £7.4million in unpaid council tax arrears, an increase of 16 per cent on the March 2013 figure.

The new benefit system left councils to introduce their own localised council tax support scheme in 2013, replacing a national benefit system previously run by the Government.

Basildon Council looking at changing its present system before the start of the next financial year – in the face of faces further cuts in funding from Government.

The increase was criticised by Dave Murray, organiser of the protest group, Basildon Against the Cuts.

He said: “The council is forcing people into making bad decisions – to choose between paying council tax, paying rent and feeding their kids.

“If people have to choose, they have to pay their rent – otherwise they will be homeless.

“These bullying tactics mean the council is cutting off its nose to spite its face, as it will just end up spending more on homelessness provision.

“It will, ultimately, cost the council more and cause families misery.”

The Money Advice Trust, which has researched councils’ use of bailiffs nationwide, agrees such action has had a “severe impact” on already-vulnerable people.

Trust chief executive Joanna Elson said: “Local councils are facing significant funding pressures – and they, of course, have a duty to collect what they are owed.

“In the case of council tax, this is crucial in ensuring proper funding for the services that local people rely on.

“However, the council’s use of bailiffs, remains too great.

“Our research shows the councils which use bailiffs the most are actually less effective at collecting council tax arrears.

“That’s why we are urging councillors to ensure bailiffs are only used as an absolute last resort.”

Council: Enforcement agents a 'valuable resource'

THE council insists bailiffs are only brought in to chase debt payments as a last resort.

A Basildon Council spokesman said it only referred cases to bailiffs after all other means of collection had been explored.

He added: “This course of action is always seen as the very last resort.

“Enforcement agents are a valuable source to the council, as they are our feet and eyes on the street.

“They also gain other valuable information, such as finding out when the occupier is no longer resident at the address.

“They can identify vulnerable cases – and in almost all vulnerable cases, will refer the case back to the council for further consideration.”

The council believes the increase in referrals is down to the number of new properties in the borough paying council tax.

It also claims the introduction of the local council tax support scheme in 2013 has led to more people being forced to pay.

The spokesman added: “We work hard to have continual open lines of engagement with residents who are struggling to make their payments and every effort is made to help the customer to meet their obligations to pay their council tax. We have a duty to everyone who does pay their council tax to use all methods of recovery, including bailiff action, if appropriate.”

  • The National Debtline, run by the Money Advice Trust, provided help to 373 struggling families in Basildon last year.

It is urging hard-up households to contact it for free advice via nationaldebtline.org