Council tax info letter 4/2026: Technical session bettering council tax enforcement

For the eye of the council tax part

Dear Colleagues,

We are publishing this info letter to tell you of the publication of the federal government’s technical session on bettering the enforcement of council tax. This seeks views on statutory steps and steerage for native authorities forward of formal enforcement motion.

Technical session

The authorities has right this moment printed its technical session on bettering the enforcement of council tax. This follows on from the federal government’s dedication to seek the advice of on steps councils ought to observe forward of enforcement. This was set out within the authorities’s response to its session on modernising and bettering the administration of council tax. This session will run for 4 weeks till 29 July.

This session is in two components. The first half seeks views on the statutory steps councils ought to observe forward of formal enforcement motion. This consists of the schedule and content material of notices of missed funds. The second half pertains to creating steerage on additional steps and finest apply for recovering council tax. This seeks views on the steps councils at present take and the way finest apply could be utilized throughout native authorities, and enhance the federal government’s understanding of any operational boundaries or constraints native authorities face in finishing up these steps.

The session pertains to the technical element of implementing these adjustments which it recognises native authorities might be finest positioned to touch upon. The authorities encourages all native authorities to answer this session and share their views and experience.

New Burdens

The authorities has dedicated to finishing up a brand new burdens evaluation of those adjustments. It will guarantee councils are appropriately funded for these adjustments. The authorities just lately requested information from councils to tell this new burdens evaluation. It is grateful for all native authorities who’ve responded to this information assortment and it’s at present reviewing the information offered.

The authorities recognises that councils have famous that the outcomes of this technical session can also impression on this new burdens evaluation. The authorities will think about whether or not, following this session, any additional information is required to adequately assess potential new burdens. Where obligatory, it would request additional information from native authorities.

Should you’ve got any queries, please contact MHCLG at: [email protected].