Bailiffs are still option for city debt collection

BRISTOL City Council has issued a statement to clarify who will and won't be targeted by bailiffs for debt to the local authority, although it’s still far from clear.

- ADAM POSTANS Local Democracy Reporter

It follows a report by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that community union Acorn had claimed a major victory in stopping the authority's use of enforcement agents for the poorest households.

Council leader Councillor Tony Dyer (Green, Southville) said last month that officers were "already identifying vulnerable debtors on our system so we can stop sending bailiffs to those debtors who are unable to pay".

He said: "This would almost certainly include those on income-related benefits, including working people on low incomes.

"It also includes people who are identified as temporarily vulnerable when their income has significantly dropped, such as where they have lost work or material working hours, welfare benefits and tax credits."

But in the aftermath, Bristol City Council now says reports that it is no longer using bailiffs to collect any form of debt are "incorrect".