Welsh Government commits to ending punitive ‘one strike’ council tax rule
The Welsh Government has announced plans to end a controversial rule that can force households to pay an entire annual council tax bill for missing just one payment.
The Finance and Local Government Minister, Rebecca Evans, confirmed the government’s intentions during a budget committee meeting in the Senedd.
According to Evans, missing just one month of council tax payments can lead to households becoming liable for the entire year’s bill, a situation that makes it even harder for struggling families to get out of debt.
To address this issue, the Welsh government plans to legislate for council tax reform in future bills.
This move has been welcomed by Citizens Advice Cymru, who have been campaigning for an end to the rule for some time.
Council tax arrears are one of the top debt issues for the organisation, and the demand for the full year’s bill can act as a significant barrier for those struggling to keep up with payments.
Last year, Citizens Advice Cymru research found that some individuals were told to pay the full amount or risk going to court when they asked to repay in instalments.
This highlights that while people want to pay their debts, they often feel there aren’t fair and financially sustainable options to do so.
The Welsh Government’s announcement is a step in the right direction to help families and individuals who are struggling with council tax arrears and to ensure that they have fair and financially sustainable options for repaying their debts.
Luke Young, Assistant Director of Citizens Advice Cymru said:
“We welcome the Welsh Government’s commitment to ending the one strike council tax rule that forces people in debt to pay a whole year’s bill after missing just a single payment.
“Our experience at Citizens Advice Cymru tells us that people want to pay their bills but they become locked into a vicious debt cycle in a system that prioritises enforcement over compassion and fairness.
“Rebecca Evans and the Welsh Government have listened to our concerns and we look forward to working with them to further reform council tax in Wales. It remains a fundamentally regressive tax, however this action will introduce a bit more fairness for people struggling with debt and the cost of living.”
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