More than 600 Stroud council tax debts were passed to bailiffs during 2025/26, as total arrears across the district reached £6.7 million.
Stroud District Council referred 611 debts for enforcement action, according to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. That was a 6% increase on the 577 debts referred during the previous year.
The figures were published by National Debtline as part of its annual Stop the Knock campaign. The charity is calling on councils to take a fairer approach to residents who are struggling to pay.
Concerns over bailiff action
National Debtline said the figures showed councils continued to rely heavily on enforcement action despite ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
The research also raised concerns about residents receiving Council Tax Support. Only 26 of 317 local authorities surveyed exempted people receiving the support from bailiff action last year, down from 35 in 2024/25.
Stroud District Council was not among the authorities exempting Council Tax Support recipients from bailiff action. National Debtline is urging councillors to review the policy, arguing that people receiving the support are among those most likely to be financially vulnerable and may struggle to repay arrears quickly and in full.
“We understand that councils are under increasing financial budget constraints, and council tax is vital to funding the local services we all rely on, but collecting this money cannot come at the expense of its most financially vulnerable residents.”
Edward Ware, a spokesperson for National Debtline, also urged Stroud District Council to consider whether more could be done to support residents who are struggling to pay.
“We would urge Stroud District Council to review whether there is more the council could do to support residents who are struggling to pay.”
National rise in council tax arrears
Figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government put council tax arrears in the Stroud district at £6.7 million.
Across England and Wales, arrears rose from £6.6 billion in 2024/25 to £7.4 billion. Of the 317 councils surveyed, 153 — 48% — increased their use of bailiffs to collect council tax debts last year.
There were 1.72 million council tax arrears cases passed to bailiffs during 2025/26, compared with 1.74 million the previous year.
National Debtline said council tax had become one of the three most common debts handled by its advisers, alongside credit cards and energy bills. It said 31% of people contacting the service currently had council tax debt.
Planned changes to debt collection
Changes to the way council tax debts are collected are expected to come into force in 2027 after a Government consultation.
Under the planned reforms, councils would have to wait 63 days, rather than two weeks, before demanding a full year’s council tax after a missed instalment. The changes are also expected to provide more affordable repayment arrangements, introduce a £100 cap on court-related fees, offer greater protection for vulnerable households and move towards 12 monthly payments by default instead of 10.
The proposals are expected to place greater emphasis on reducing aggressive enforcement practices, including the use of bailiffs. National Debtline has welcomed the changes but said further action was needed.
The charity wants the Government to introduce statutory steps that councils must take before passing debts to bailiffs. These would include working with residents and debt advisers to agree affordable repayment arrangements. It is also calling for regulation of the bailiff industry and statutory powers for the Enforcement Conduct Board to oversee the sector.
“The proposed changes to council tax collection practices should make a meaningful difference to financially vulnerable households, but we need to see more progress when it comes to regulation of the bailiff industry.”
Mr Ware urged anyone struggling with council tax to seek independent advice as soon as possible.