Reading to Consider Adopting Citizens Advice Council Tax Protocol

A NEW agreement to ensure the collection of Council Tax arrears is carried out in a fair and ethical way will be adopted in Reading if agreed next week.

Members of the Council’s Policy Committee are being asked to adopt the Citizens Advice Council Tax Protocol at a meeting on Monday 9th March. The new strategy aims to improve the recovery of overdue Council Tax arrears without recourse to aggressive enforcement action. The Citizens Advice Council Tax Protocol has been developed through partnership work between national bodies representing advice agencies, local government and enforcement agencies. Reading’s Council Tax Recovery Team have been engaging with Citizens Advice Reading to review the processes in place for collection in the borough and several actions have already been taken, including:

• Reviewing Council Tax documentation to ensure residents are signposted appropriately if they are experiencing financial difficulties
• Liaising with Reading Advice Network so they can better advise residents about Council Tax arrears
• Providing Citizens Advice Reading advisers with direct access to Council Tax Recovery Officers to give customers better support
• Offering flexible payment options, including different payment dates and spreading payments over 12 months
• Suspending recovery action when a benefit claim is pending
• Prioritising direct deductions from benefits or attachments of earnings in preference to using enforcement agents

The Council will work closely with its enforcement agents and Citizens Advice Reading to improve collection processes, with more early intervention to help residents struggling with their Council Tax payments, help prevent further charges, alleviate stress and reduce collection costs.

Cllr Ellie Emberson, Lead Councillor for Corporate and Consumer Services, said:

“The Council has a responsibility to all residents to collect Council Tax which is due and Reading already does this in a fair and ethical way. “By adopting the Citizens Advice Council Tax Protocol, the Council is committing to further support any residents in arrears whilst still ensuring we collect what is owed to enable us to fund front-line services.” The full report on the Council Tax Protocol can be found at: https://democracy.reading.gov.uk/documents/s10569/Council%20Tax%20Protocol.pdf Anyone experiencing difficulties maintaining their Council Tax payments should contact the Council at the earliest opportunity on (0118) 937 3727. ENDS