Councils in England threatened 1,500 residents with prison over council tax arrears in five years, a debt charity has found.
A freedom of information investigation by StepChange Debt charity has found widespread inconsistency in how English councils collect council tax debt, with some using the threat of imprisonment in their very first letter to residents who fall into arrears.
One in twenty councils mention prison in their first arrears letter, while one in six have actively used the threat of imprisonment as a debt recovery tool since 2020, with 1,528 cases recorded overall.
Over a third of responding councils made direct reference to debt recovery or enforcement action in their first letter after a missed payment, rising to one in two by the final letter.
StepChange, which drew on FOI responses from 78% of councils in England and Wales, argues the approach is counterproductive, deterring vulnerable residents from seeking support rather than encouraging repayment.
Just four people have gone to prison for non-payment since 2020, with a further 143 receiving suspended sentences.
Peter Tutton, director of Policy, Research, and Public Affairs, said: ‘It’s high time that the outdated prison sanction is removed from the council tax regulations at a central level, binding standards are introduced, and local authorities ensure their processes provide room for residents to repay without falling further into harm.’
