Freedom of information response

Uncollected Council Tax

Publication date: 
Thursday 19 September 2024
Request: 

1.    For the years 2019-2020,  2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24, please provide the number of individual cases of uncollected tax (full or partial amounts) Council Tax and the total amount in sterling of uncollected Council Tax in each of those years. 

2.    A breakdown into postcode area (or former borough boundary area if easier) of all uncollected (full or partial amounts) Council Tax cases in each of the years 2019-2020, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.

3.    For each of the years set out above, the number of individual Council Tax debtor cases which were successfully concluded and taxes concluded and taxes collected (either in the financial of the same year or subsequently). 

4.    For each of the years set about above, the number of individual Council Tax debtor cases which have remained pending/ongoing without successful conclusion 

5.    For each of the years above, the number of individual Council Tax debtor cases which have been written off by the authority and taxes not collected

Response: 
  1. For the years 2019-2020,  2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24, please provide the number of individual cases of uncollected tax (full or partial amounts) Council Tax and the total amount in sterling of uncollected Council Tax in each of those years.
   

Year

No.

Value

               
   

2019- 20

2004

£1,279,907.06

               
   

2021 - 22

2952

£2,799,816.17

               
   

2022 - 23

2785

£1,999,104.82

               
   

2023 - 24

3005

£2,406,175.56

               
                         
  1. A breakdown into postcode area (or former borough boundary area if easier) of all uncollected (full or partial amounts) Council Tax cases in each of the years 2019-2020, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
                         
   

Would require checking 10,746 accounts manually and recording postcode in excel at 3 mins each = 537 hrs

   
  1. For each of the years set out above, the number of individual Council Tax debtor cases which were successfully concluded and taxes concluded and taxes collected (either in the financial of the same year or subsequently).
                       
   

Would require checking 10,746 accounts manually and recording postcode in excel at 3 mins each = 537 hrs

   
  1. For each of the years set about above, the number of individual Council Tax debtor cases which have remained pending/ongoing without successful conclusion
                       
   

Would require checking 10,746 accounts manually and recording postcode in excel at 3 mins each = 537 hrs

   

5. For each of the years above, the number of individual Council Tax debtor cases which have been written off by the authority and taxes not collected

                         
     

Year

No.

Debt Value

             
     

2019- 20

548

£441,626.72

             
     

2021 - 22

437

£451,255.70

             
     

2022 - 23

111

£165,383.77

             
     

2023 - 24

16

£30,978.46

             

In issuing our response the council have applied S12 of the Freedom of Information Act. 

This means that the council does not have to comply with your request if the cost of doing so exceeds the ‘appropriate limit’, which for local authorities is 18 hours.  This applies to the time taken spent locating and collating the requested information.  

If you wish to narrow the scope of your request and resubmit this to the council then of course we may be able to provide this information.

Request reference:
FOI 14268