Wokingham borough council passed 194 council tax debts on to bailiffs in 2025/26, according to new Freedom of Information data compiled by National Debtline as part of its annual Stop the Knock campaign.
This is a reduction of 93% compared to 2024/25..
The findings come as total council tax arrears in Wokingham were revealed by to now stand at £6.3 million. This forms part of a national total which has now hit £7.4 billion, up from £6.6 billion in 2024/25.
The charity’s figures also show that across England and Wales a total of 153 councils (48%) increased their use of bailiffs for council tax debts. And that 1.72 million council tax arrears cases were passed to bailiffs by councils during 2025/26, a figure largely unchanged from 1.74 million in 2024/25.
The charity says these numbers demonstrate the continued reliance on enforcement action despite ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
As budgets have become more stretched, councils are increasingly reliant on council tax revenue to fund essential services like social care, local schools and rubbish collections. This has led many councils to increase council tax for residents, a move which often deepens the financial challenges for people already hit hardest by the high cost of living.
National Debtline’s research found that last year, just 26 of 317 local authorities were exempting residents in receipt of Council Tax Support from bailiff action, a decrease of 26% from 35 in 2024/25.
Wokingham Borough Council does not exempt Council Tax Support recipients from bailiff action in this way – something National Debtline is calling on councillors to change.
The charity is calling on local authorities to recognise that people receiving Council Tax Support will be some of the most financially vulnerable so are highly unlikely to be able repay quickly and in full and so should be exempted from bailiff action.
With council tax being one of the top three most common debts its advisers hear about, alongside credit cards and energy bills, National Debtline, the free independent debt advice service, is calling on anyone in and around Wokingham worried about their council tax bills or facing bailiff action to seek advice as soon as possible.
Currently a third (31%) of people who contact National Debtline have council tax debt.
Edward Ware, spokesperson for National Debtline, said:“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.
“We are pleased to see that Wokingham borough council has reduced its bailiff use recently, but we would urge councillors to review whether there is more the council could do to support residents who are struggling to pay.”
“With council tax now one of the most common debts we see we need councils to adopt fairer approaches to collection, not harsher enforcement. Exempting residents who receive Council Tax Support from bailiff action is a key way in which councils can help – and we would urge Wokingham Borough Council to put this in place urgently.”
There is some positive news on the horizon. Following the government’s wide-ranging consultation on council tax administration, several reforms are expected in 2027. These are aimed at creating a fairer and more proportionate system for people struggling with payments.
The changes will require councils to wait longer – 63 days, up from two weeks – before demanding a full year’s council tax following a missed instalment; offer more affordable repayment arrangements; and a new £100 cap on court-related fees. Alongside this, there will be stronger emphasis on reducing aggressive enforcement practices such as the use of bailiffs, better protections for vulnerable households and a shift to 12 monthly payments, instead of the current 10, by default to make bills more manageable.
The charity has welcomed these changes following years of campaigning on council tax reform, but says further action is still needed. It is urging the government to set out a series of statutory steps councils must take before passing debts onto bailiffs, including councils working with residents and debt advisers to put in place an affordable payment arrangement before any enforcement action is taken.
The charity is also calling on the government to follow through with proposals to regulate the bailiff industry and give the Enforcement Conduct Board statutory power to oversee the sector.
Edward continued: “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.
“We need to stop people falling behind with council tax in the first place. The government should also invest more funding in local Council Tax Support schemes, so that all councils can offer 100% Council Tax Support for its most financially vulnerable residents.
“Anyone struggling to pay their council tax bill should seek free, independent advice from National Debtline as soon as possible. Our advisers are here to help and can talk you through your options.”
A spokesperson for Wokingham borough council told Wokingham Today: “”We’ve worked hard to reduce the need for enforcement action by improving the support available to residents facing financial difficulties. The number of council tax debts passed to enforcement agents fell by 93% last year, reflecting our focus on early intervention and support. Enforcement agents are only used as a last resort
after multiple attempts have been made to contact residents through reminders, emails, texts, phone calls and formal notices.
“Since 2025, our dedicated financial inclusion officer has been helping residents access debt advice, financial planning and other support services, while our council- wide debt champions network works to identify and support people at the earliest opportunity.
“Residents receiving Council Tax Reduction receive additional support and consideration, and we encourage anyone worried about paying their council tax to contact us as soon as possible so that we can work with them to find the right solution.
“However, if we have residents who clearly can afford to pay but choose not to, we will use legal means to pursue the money that is owed. It would not be fair on those residents who routinely pay their council tax if we did not do so.”
