Children and Teenagers are Frightened by Bailiffs Collecting Council Tax - Report
There are 6777 children living in 3938 families who have faced council tax debt in Central Bedfordshire. The Children’s Society report, “The Wolf at the Door” highlights how children and teenagers are feeling sad, frightened and worried after routinely coming face to face with bailiffs in their own homes, sent by the local council to demand sudden, unrealistic council tax payments. Last year, The Children’s Society say that 4302 households were referred to bailiffs in Central Bedfordshire and that would be the equivalent of 38 bailiff visits for every 1,000 households. The Children’s Society report “The Debt Trap” highlighted how a third of families in council tax arrears who sought help from their council found it not helpful at all, whilst their latest research shows that councils are often demanding the full year’s council tax amount just 14 days after a family or young person misses their first monthly bill, pushing court summons or the threat of bailiffs soon after. Coun