Record numbers seeking advice on council tax bills
Citizens Advice Scotland say alarm bells should be ringing, as demand for help continues to rise
Last updated 4th Sep 2023
A record number of people are currently seeking advice for council tax debt in Scotland.
Citizens Advice Scotland says demand for help is up by 25% since January, and by 35% since the pandemic based on the latest figures for July.
It’s understood that the average council tax debt for a Scottish Citizens Advice client is over £3,420, almost three times the average council tax bill in 2022/23.
The service providers say Council Tax debt has been the top debt issue for the Advice network for some time, but fear the issue is getting worse as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
They say low incomes, essential daily living costs, a lack of awareness around debt collection procedures, and missed repayment opportunities from local authorities are top concerns for citizens.
Myles Fitt is a Financial Health Spokesperson for Citizens Advice and told Greatest Hits Radio news: “Council tax debt has long been the number one debt issue for the CAB network, and it seems as if the cost of living crisis has made it even worse.
“For Citizens Advice Bureau to be seeing record demand for this issue, and such a big increase since January alone, is really worrying.
“People don’t see immediate tangible consequences of not paying their Council Tax - the bins still get emptied and street lights stay on – in the way that they do if food cannot be bought or energy bills are left unpaid.
The consequences of not paying council tax are serious
“But people may not realise that the debt collection process for Council Tax is quicker and harsher than commercial debt like credit cards and that can leave people really struggling."
Anonymous interviews with Citizens Advice users suggest many find council tax hard to balance with other necessities:
“Paying my Council Tax is a worry, but it is juggling it with all the other bills I worry about. If the kids needed shoes or winter jackets or even having the heating on longer, these would have to come first.
“If I had enough money to pay for everything, then I wouldn’t worry about any of my bills.”
Financial Spokesperson Mr Fitt says the matter needs treated as a priority, and that anyone worried about their bills or money can head to their website for more information.