Unpaid council tax in England grew by £782m in 2025/26, lifting total arrears to £7.4bn, according to analysis by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).
The think tank says that works out at almost £1,500 every minute. The figures come as households face higher bills. The average Band D charge in England rose by £111 to £2,392 in April, up 4.9%.
Worcestershire County Council and Trafford imposed far bigger Band D increases, with the former hiking it by 8.98% and the latter by 7.49%.
Ben Gregg, the CSJ's Head of Welfare, urged ministers to build ‘everyday fixes’ into council tax reforms already under way.
The Government has said councils must issue a reminder and a final notice before households lose the right to pay by instalments. The CSJ welcomed this but said the warnings must be designed to encourage people to seek help earlier.
‘Clearer communications, earlier support and a trusted route to free advice are everyday fixes that could make a real difference. Ministers should build them into the council tax reforms already underway,’ Gregg said.
