Changes are on the way to help people who are struggling with missed council tax payments. It’ll give local authorities more time to engage with people to prevent debt escalating quickly.
There will also be clearer rules for reminder and final notices.
Part of the change will mean households in Wales will have 63 days to address missed council tax payments before enforcement action can be taken, when new rules come into force next April.
Currently, missing a council tax payment means people can become liable for the full annual bill if they don’t pay within seven days of receiving a reminder under outdated legislation. This rule doesn’t reflect the sympathetic approach councils in Wales already take when supporting households.
These changes will give families crucial extra time to get support while ensuring councils can still act against those deliberately avoiding payment. It will deliver a fairer council tax system while maintaining effective collection of funds for essential public services.
It comes after a Welsh Government consultation, which had more than 250 responses from local authorities, advice organisations and members of the public.
A significant majority of those who took part in the consultation supported extending the minimum period to 62 days from one missed instalment to becoming liable for the remaining annual balance, as well as supporting other changes focussed on prevention and better engagement.
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said:
“We’re supporting councils to prevent rapid escalation of council tax debt, by giving more time for households to recover from unexpected setbacks, check eligibility for support, and get back on track. Anyone struggling to pay council tax should contact their council as soon as possible, or use the free advice services available through the Welsh Government’s Claim What’s Yours service.”
