Huge queues outside courts as thousands prosecuted over arrears

THOUSANDS of low-income earners are being hauled into court to pay council tax bills in a vicious attack on Britain’s most vulnerable families.  In a new measure branded 'Poll Tax Mk 2', an estimated 1.9 million people who did not previously have to pay the tax are now liable for between 10 and 30 per cent of the full bill, reports the Mirror. And queues have formed outside courts as Britain’s poorest respond to threatening demands to pay. 


The Government’s latest attack on the poor is a result of the introduction in April of the Welfare Reform Act. Families have been shocked that local authorities have started chasing up bills for the next 12 months so soon after the introduction of the sweeping ­changes due to Government cutbacks. Since April 1 council tax benefit has been replaced by council tax support, and responsibility for that is switching from central government to councils. 

Hilary Benn, Shadow Secretary for Local Government, said:
'We warned the Government that their Poll Tax Mark 2 would lead to people on low incomes being chased through the courts for sums of money that they simply don’t have. “It will push some into the arms of payday lenders and loan sharks. But David Cameron and George ­Osborne refused to listen and went ahead at the same time as they cut the top rate of tax. How out of touch can you get?'

Around 232 local authorities have devised schemes that will demand council tax from everyone regardless of ­income and only 58 will retain current levels of support. In a snapshot survey of councils in England and Wales it has been found they are wasting no time in chasing struggling families for the money. Tameside council in Greater Manchester has issued 3,691 summons to households who paid NO council tax before the changes.

Single parent Charlotte Hughes, 41, received a summons saying she had to pay £141.66. When she arrived at Tameside Magistrates' Court, she found dozens of people queuing outside. She said:
'My priority is finding money to get food for my child. Other people might not think it is much money but it is for me.  It was humiliating going to court. We had to queue up before we were herded into a room. It was like a cattle market.' 

In Cornwall around 20,000 people who previously had their council tax paid in full are now being asked to pay at least 25 per cent. Six thousand are now in arrears and 1,000 have had a court ­summons so far. 

This week Cornwall’s council finance portfolio holder Alex Folkes said: “In the case of the very poorest, that is very bad news.   'Anyone who has problems, get in touch. We will listen. We don’t want people to go down the court system.'

Last year Peterborough City Council issued summons to 3,538 households but this figure has doubled since the new welfare reforms. 

The Resolution Foundation, a non-profit research organisation, said in a recent report that a typical bill had risen by between £100 and £250 a year, but some it could be as much as £600 more. 

Alex Hurrell, a senior analyst at the foundation, said:
'We warned that thousands of low-paid working people would face the biggest increases in council tax.  Now we’re seeing councils with dwindling ­resources chase some of the hardest-pressed people in the country.  Sadly we’re likely to see more scenes like these in the coming months and years.' 

In a typical example on Friday 1,079 liability ­orders were issued at Truro magistrates court on behalf of Cornwall Council to people who hadn’t paid their council tax. Many were first-timers ­unable to foot the bill. 

Jason Simmons, 46, from Redruth, was summoned to court for non-payment. He said:
'I’ve managed to pay £30 of it, but there is no way I’ll be able to pay the rest.'