Hartlepool Borough Council Refers Record 3,302 Households to Bailiffs Despite Rising Arrears and Falling Write-Offs
- Nov 11, 2025
- 3 min read
Hartlepool Borough Council’s Compassion towards Vulnerable Locals Questioned, Amid Rising Council Tax Hardship
11th November 2025
A new Freedom of Information (FOI) response has revealed a sharp rise in Hartlepool Borough Council’s use of bailiffs to collect unpaid Council Tax — with more than 3,300 cases referred in the 2024/25 financial year alone.
The data, obtained from the Council in response to a request dated 7th April 2025, paints a concerning picture of rising local tax liabilities, mounting arrears, and increasingly aggressive enforcement tactics — despite the Council’s claim that it has a “formal policy” for dealing with vulnerable residents.
Council Tax Bills Rising Year After Year
The total number of Council Tax accounts raised by Hartlepool Borough Council has climbed steadily each year:
2021/22: 44,393
2022/23: 44,728
2023/24: 45,233
2024/25: 46,195
Over the same period, the total value of Council Tax billed has risen from £52.9 million in 2021/22 to £63.6 million in 2024/25 — an increase of more than £10.6 million in just four years.
Arrears Have More Than Doubled
Despite this surge in billing, Council Tax arrears has spiralled even faster. As of April 2025, outstanding Council Tax debt had jumped from £2.15 million in 2021/22 to a staggering £4.79 million — more than doubling in four years.
Year | Value of Arrears | Increase |
2021/22 | £2,154,912.06 | – |
2022/23 | £2,872,879.89 | +£717,967.83 |
2023/24 | £3,713,541.75 | +£840,661.86 |
2024/25 | £4,790,422.93 | +£1,076,881.18 |
The pattern suggests a growing number of residents are now visibly struggling to keep up with rising living costs, while the Council continues to press ahead with aggressive enforcement action rather than financial relief.
Use of Bailiffs Has Soared
The most alarming statistic is the explosion in the number of cases being sent to private enforcement agents (bailiffs), with an increase of 118% in just two years — representing thousands of households being hit with extra fees and distress at a time when many can least afford it.
2022/23: 1,516 cases
2023/24: 2,353 cases
2024/25: 3,302 cases
Yet, despite the surge in enforcement, the amount of money actually recovered by bailiffs remains modest compared to the size of the arrears:
2022/23: £256,632.57
2023/24: £231,929.10
2024/25: £708,571.83
Even in 2024/25, its claimed less than 15% of the total arrears was retrieved through enforcement action, suggesting the council is chasing its tail amidst snowballing numbers of locals drowning under the weight of council tax liability.
Council Writing Off Less Debt — Even as Arrears Rise
While arrears have doubled, its said that the amount of Council Tax written off has plummeted:
2021/22: £111,413.04
2022/23: £92,177.37
2023/24: £63,523.03
2024/25: £28,132.60
This trend shows a council increasingly unwilling to accept that some debts may never be collected — particularly in cases involving vulnerable or financially distressed residents which in many cases is leaving some households turning to personal insolvency such as Debt Relief Orders or Bankruptcy.
No Exemption for Council Tax Support Claimants
Perhaps most troubling is Hartlepool Borough Council’s admission that it does not exempt recipients of Council Tax Support or Reduction from bailiff action. This means that even residents already recognised as vulnerable, or struggling financially — including those on the lowest incomes — can still face enforcement action, as well as the additional fees that come with it.
Hartlepool Borough Council did claim that it does have a “formal policy” for dealing with vulnerable residents. However it remains unclear as to how this policy is applied in practice.
A Growing Crisis for Hartlepool Households
The figures expose a deepening crisis in Hartlepool’s Council Tax system — one that once again exposes the local council for punishing poverty rather than addressing its root causes. As arrears climb, enforcement rises, and debt write-offs fall, the message from the Council seems clear: enforcement first, compassion second.
Coming just months after the Teesside & Durham Post exposed Hartlepool Borough Council profiting from inflated court costs that did not reflect the actual costs of council tax enforcement, residents may rightly question whether Hartlepool Borough Council’s approach to tax collection is both fair and humane.
