When Nicola Taylor missed a single council tax payment, she did not expect it to escalate to bailiffs knocking at her door.
Ms Taylor said she had worked all her life, but after an accident in 2022 left her unable to continue her job as a care worker due to serious back problems, her finances became strained.
“I’d just missed one month, the next month they sent out the full year’s council tax bill, demanding the full payment that month, or it [would go to] debt collectors,” she said.
Ms Taylor, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, claims she offered to repay the arrears in installments but was refused. She said Bolton Council “just said, no, it’s already been passed over to the debt collectors”.
Enforcement officers arrived at her front door in May 2025, demanding around £2,800 in payments dating back two years.
“It put me into severe depression because I kept thinking, I know I can’t pay it. How am I going to pay it?” she said.
“At the time, I couldn’t see a way out… If it weren’t for my kids being here, I probably wouldn’t be here now.”
Ms Taylor, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, claims she offered to repay the arrears in installments but the council refusedShe later discovered she had been entitled to a council tax reduction because of her son’s disability but had not been not been made aware of this. She has since been able to clear her debt through a Debt Relief Order.
“I should have been entitled to it for seven years prior… They’d never said to me, ‘Do you know you’re entitled to a council tax rebate every year?’” she added.
A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “While we cannot comment on individual cases, bailiffs are only ever used as a last resort.
“We have a comprehensive and well-funded support system available for anyone struggling to meet council tax payments and will always seek to engage directly with residents to reach a repayment arrangement.”
Her experience comes as hundreds of local authorities prepare to raise council tax bills again in April.
Labour has announced investment worth more than £5.6bn over the next three years to address financial pressures in local government, but authorities are expected to increase council tax by up to 5 per cent, with seven councils permitted rises of up to 9 per cent.
Council tax arrears in England have reached £6.6bn, an average of £263 per household with an estimated 2.2 million households in debt. A further £260m is owed in Wales and £1.5bn in Scotland.
Unlike many other household bills, councils can demand the entire annual charge after a single missed payment and may apply to magistrates for a liability order.
Edmond Davies, from Bradford, said he lives in anxiety because he cannot afford to pay his council tax.
Currently unemployed and receiving universal credit while applying for warehouse and retail jobs, he owes about £800 across his current and previous addresses.
“I just can’t afford to pay on reduced universal credit payments,” Mr Davies said.
After court proceedings last August, he has recently received multiple texts and letters warning of enforcement action.
He said: “There will be someone coming at some point to take possessions to pay off the debt.
“I’m always in a position where I don’t know who’s coming to the door or for what… You just think, how am I going to pay for it?”
A Bradford Council spokesperson said: “We are committed to collecting council tax fairly and helping people who are struggling to pay. We offer support through our Council Tax Reduction Scheme for low-income households.
“We encourage anyone having difficulty to contact us early and respond to us if we contact them. Our team can help people access benefits, discounts, and exemptions. We also work with advice agencies to offer independent support and follow the Citizens Advice Debt Collection Protocol.”
Debt advisers warn cases like these are becoming increasingly common.
Sebrina McCullough, director of external relations at Money Wellness, said: “Council tax increases can place a real strain on households… Even a single missed payment can trigger enforcement action, including fines, court proceedings, or bailiff visits, which can escalate problems quickly.”
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Rebecca Sycamore, chief executive of Toynbee Hall, a charity that works to address the causes and effects of poverty said rising bills are pushing more households into arrears.
Council tax accounted for 38 per cent of the most common debts seen by the charity in 2023-24, rising to 45 per cent the following year, while average arrears increased from £1,790 to £1,913, the charity said.
“For households on very tight budgets, even small increases in council tax can push them into arrears,” Sycamore added. “Without adequate support, further increases risk deepening financial hardship and anxiety for those already struggling.”
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