Councils in Kent have turned to bailiffs more than 42,000 times in a single year to recover unpaid council tax, figures show.

One council instructed bailiffs to pursue a debt of just £14.17 while another brought in debt collectors to recover arrears of £21.77.

The figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests reveal a mixed picture of the lengths some councils are going to in their efforts to recover unpaid council tax.

With council tax bills rising at a time when town halls face cuts in funding, chasing unpaid bills has in recent years become increasingly important.

However, in many cases, it is at greater cost to those already struggling to meet their bills.

Our analysis of the figures for 2018-19 reveals:

• Councils issued 78,598 court summons to those falling behind with their payments

• Courts granted 63,061 liability orders for non-payment
• Bailiffs were instructed on 42,839 occasions to recover unpaid tax
• Just one council taxpayer was given a 45-day custodial sentence

Average household bills rose again this year with most authorities increasing close to the maximum permitted of 3%.

Meanwhile, Kent County Council increased its share to just under 5% — a figure which included a 2% increase to raise more money for adult social care.

The government announced in April a consultation on proposals to give those who fall behind with payments greater protection from what it described as “aggressive debt enforcement.”

According to the Citizens Advice Bureau, enforcement action through the courts typically adds £84 to people’s bills as councils add the administration fees to non-payers’ bills.

But that is dwarfed by the extra costs associated with calling in the bailiffs. Where councils do so, it can add as much as £310 to debtors’ bills.

Our analysis shows that when it came to using bailiffs, Gravesham saw the largest year-on-year increase. It instructed bailiffs 5,757 times in 2018-19 compared to 4,498 in 2017-18 — an increase of 1,259 or 28%.

Medway council - which has the largest population - used bailiffs 7,948 times in 2019 compared to 7,432 the previous year.

It also saw a significant rise in liability orders, with 10,426 authorised by the courts in 2018-19 compared to 9,520 the previous year.

Swale saw the greatest year-on-year increase in court summons, with 6,764 issued in 2018-19 compared to 5,562 the previous year.

It also had the biggest increase in liability orders with 5,449 granted last year compared to 4,528 — a rise of 20%.

At the same time, however, it relied less on bailiffs to recover unpaid tax, using them 3,489 times in 2018-19 compared to 4,020 in 2017-18.

While several councils recorded increases in court summons, liability orders and the use of bailiffs, the upward trend was not universal.

In Thanet, the number of court summons issued in 2018-19 fell by 1,406 to 8,745 while there was a dramatic decline in liability orders granted. These fell by 2,249 to 7,645.

A report by the Citizens Advice Bureau this year highlighted how those struggling to pay bills often ended up with more debt if they faced court action.

It said: "On average Citizens Advice debt clients have just £14 a month disposable income. Average court costs and bailiff fees of £278 per household in arrears mean an additional 20 months of being in debt."

Gravesham council said wherever possible, it tried to help those struggling with council tax before taking court action or referring cases to bailiffs. It said there were several ways it tried to help before legal action was considered.

These included offering those in arrears to make an arrangement to pay outstanding bills when sending out court summons, which also included details of debt advice organisations.

It also runs “a summons surgery” at the Civic Centre for taxpayers to speak to an officer.

For those who were particularly vulnerable, the council could send officers to people’s homes to discuss “appropriate” ways to settle their bills.

Phil Watts, chief finance officer at Medway Council, said: “We offer a number of options for residents who cannot afford to pay their council tax. Depending on the individual’s circumstances this includes ensuring they receive any reductions they are entitled to, offering a revised payment plan or referring them to debt advice agency to get help and support. We send residents a number of letters regarding their council tax before taking enforcement action.”

He added that 96% of council tax was collected within the financial year while more than 70,000 Medway residents paid by direct debit.

Swale council said: “In 2018/19, changes to the council tax reduction scheme increased the minimum amount that those on a low income who claim help towards their council tax had to pay from 20% to 25%.”

“If someone falls into arrears we go to court to obtain a liability order so that further action such as the use of enforcement agents can be used if appropriate. However, before we get to this stage we will always try to make appropriate arrangements to clear arrears before enforcement action is taken.”

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