SOLIHULL Council is owed £15.4million in unpaid council tax bills.
The council tax arrears figures have been released by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and forms part of a national total, which has now hit £6.6billion.
Charity, National Debtline says as council budgets have become more stretched, they are increasingly reliant on council tax revenue to fund essential services like social care, local schools and rubbish collections.
However, it believes this has also led to higher bills overall, creating a vicious cycle for many people already struggling to pay.
Recent Money Advice Trust research also reveals that as of March 2025, 2.2million people in England were behind on their council tax bill, suggesting that many more people could be struggling with council tax arrears who have not yet sought help.
National Debtline is calling for improved collection practices, as well as greater investment in council tax support schemes, to prevent people falling behind in the first place.
Steve Vaid, chief executive at Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline, says, “Unless changes are made at a policy level, arrears are likely to keep climbing.”
Current rules mean that households can become liable for their full annual council tax bill if they miss one payment, which often results in a quick escalation to bailiff action.
The Government set out proposals to extend this period, so that people have more time to engage and seek support – something National Debtline has welcomed, after years of campaigning for this change.
The Ministry of Justice also announced plans to consult on giving independent body the Enforcement Conduct Board legal powers to regulate the bailiff industry, with millions of council tax debts passed to bailiffs every year.
National Debtline strongly welcomes these developments after a decade of campaigning for independent bailiff regulation and for changes to the archaic council tax collection process.
The charity says that progress in this area will help reduce financial hardship, bring down arrears and make a big difference to households struggling to keep up with their bills.
A Solihull Council spokesperson said: “The Council recognises that some residents do experience financial difficulties with their council tax.
“In response to this and wider cost of living pressures, the Council has adopted a flexible approach to payment arrangements for council tax, giving residents longer time to pay.
“The Council already signposts to the National Debtline as well as other Debt Charities as part of our Here 2 Help offer.
“We would encourage any resident experiencing financial difficulties with their council tax to contact us for support at their earliest opportunity or alternatively they can visit our Here 2 Help webpages providing a wide range of help and support on important topics such as food, fuel, money and essentials.”
National Debtline provides free, independent, expert advice. Contact National Debtline for free on 0808 808 4000 or here.
