To think sending bailiffs after desperate people is despicable

[Catsinspring]

If someone can’t pay their council tax, threatening them with bailiff action is awful. People end up owning hundreds of pounds. I am horrified.

What method would you propose for people who say they can't pay but are clearly taking the mickey?

Attachment of earnings. Same procedure as enforcement for bailiffs. And more guaranteed to get something regularly rather than people defaulting because they haven't earned enough that month.

Off subject slightly but I just thought I'd chime in

Years back when I was around 20 me and my friend got fined for not buying a metro ticket. The fine was £20 each.. we didn't pay that and it went to the bailiffs.. I can't quite remember how long it went on for but i really didnt take the whole thing seriously.. Every time they came to my flat, if I wasn't in £50 was added on top.. if I'd miss a payment/was late paying another £50 was added on top etc.. I'd get so close to paying it off and it would go back up again for whatever reason me being a dick in the end I ended up paying around £600 (and my friend around £800 ) all for what was originally a £20 fine (for a metro ticket that would have cost around £2) i was on benefits at the time too.. god it was brutal, I well and truly had my arsed kicked

I used to work in CT and bailiffs were a last resort.
I had sympathy for people genuinely experiencing hardship and we would do all we could to help. Making sure they had any discounts or exemptions they were entitled to, helping them to apply for council tax benefits and housing benefits. Offering food bank vouchers, debt advice (people in CT arrears were often in other debt too,paying huge sums that could be negotiated down), making flexible payment arrangements. We would go for attachment of earnings if possible.
I have also managed to get an account brought back from the bailiffs by ringing the CT manager and begging.
Where I worked you would have received 2 reminders, a final notice, a court summons and 3 bailiff warning letters before the account was passed to the bailiffs. Most people who got bailiff action would then magic the money up.
When doing a financial statement with someone to get them help it was a little galling that there were some who would sit down with clearly an expensive dye job hairdo, salon acrylic nails, keys to a nice car and tell you they spent quite a bit on sky including movies and sport, cigarettes, going out, gym memberships.
The ones who made me laugh the most was a family who came in fuming about bailiff action and they had just got back from holiday in Florida and told us that with straight faces.
However, these pisstakers were a very small minority. Also some times it looks bad but it's their mum's car and their hairdresser friend does their hair on the cheap at home etc. So I tried not to judge.
It's true everyone needs internet now as well.
The majority were people in a pickle who had buried their heads in the sand.
The advice is if you are having problems get in touch straight away, try to keep it out of court if you can as you start to get costs added from there.

@Brilliantidiot
A lot of people don't bother to supply their employers details which means AOE can't be done.
Or they are self employed.

I agree it’s a very draconian way to retrieve debts. Not cost effective either. When councils can literally just put through attachment’s of earnings to employers so it’s paid off bit by bit. I can’t see why we need them (except to line their pockets)

@Ragnarthe

Surely if you're employed and pay tax there's a record of your employer and the aoe can be applied? Isn't that how the CSA as was forces child maintenance payment?

Local authorities are not allowed to use HMRC information for that purpose.
It can only be used for Housing Benefit purposes.
When the magistrates grant a liability order, you are effectively being ordered to give your employer details to the council so they can attach.
It's actually much cheaper for the local authorities to do attachments so they do it if possible.
Sometimes they can't if the debt is massive and the wage really low like 10 hours a week on minimum wage as there is a time limit. It can't take more than 3 years to clear.

Above that of "luxuries" that are taken as a given today like sky tv, internet or things like tobacco. You can survive without those.

Oh, that ol' chestnut. ALL those working poor, they're just so because of Sky, internet and tobacco. Can't believe how many people still believe that crap. Guess it allows them to other the working poor and gives them a warm glow of moral superiority.

@Ragnarthe

Ok, but I wasn't aware there was an option of aoe at the time I went through this, I found out by my own research. Had the council said then I'd have given my employer details willingly! In fact thinking about it they already had them from a letter I asked them to write detailing how they screwed up SSP and I had to wait another month to get anything.
Had I known it was an option I'd have absolutely complied in any way I could rather than go through what I did - I didn't even know it was an option for them as it was never mentioned at all, and I spoke to them a lot! My options were magic nearly a grand out of thin air, or deal with the bailiffs. I also know a few people in similar situations since then.
Surely it should be the first option, and they should let you in on the secret that it can be done?

I have a mix of friends, people who earn decent amounts, lower paid, and some on benefits. Absolutely non of my lower paid, or benefit claiming friends, smoke. Not one. Nor do they drink on a regular basis. I’m not sure about their tv packages! The only people I know who smoke or drink regularly are those earning the wages to be able to afford it. It’s a myth, and an outdated one at that, that poorer people drink and smoke their money away.

@Brilliantidiot
I have no idea why they didn't mention it, we would always try to because it was best for all concerned.
Sometimes it's not possible due to earnings and the size of the debt or people refuse to give the info.

Councils all have their own policies on the help and advice they give and some are just more helpful than others.
I think it has to be formally provided in writing at the time of the Liability Order though so that could be why.