FOI release

– debt collection practices [AO-UKO1.0152293.0000001.FID1762435]

Case reference FOI2026/00158

Received 6 February 2026

Published 3 March 2026

Request

Please find attached a request for information made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (the FOI Request) sent on behalf of Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA).

Response

1.Council tax arrears

(a) What is the total value (£) of council tax arrears currently held by the authority?

£ 7,598,884.03

(b) How many individual accounts are currently in council tax arrears? 20946

2. Support to Victim-Survivors of Domestic Abuse

(a) In the last 24 months, how many residents experiencing domestic abuse has the council supported with debt-related relief or support (e.g. council tax reductions, payment plans, discretionary hardship payments, write-offs)? Information not available

(b) Does the authority record or monitor whether a resident requesting debt relief has experienced domestic abuse? If so, how many such cases have been recorded in the last 24 months? No

3. Debt Recovery and Domestic Abuse Policies

(a) Does the authority have any policies, procedures, or guidance documents that refer to domestic abuse as a consideration in debt recovery processes (including enforcement, recovery pauses, or alternative arrangements)? Please provide a copy or link. - Not specifically

(b) Does the authority have any policies, procedures, or guidance that include domestic abuse as a factor in determining eligibility for council tax write-offs or reductions under Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992? Not specifically

4. Discretionary Write-Off Monitoring

(a) Does the authority monitor or record the use of discretionary council tax write-offs granted under Section 13A(1)(c)? Yes

(b) If yes: How many discretionary council tax write-off requests were (i) received and (ii) approved and (iii) not approved in the last 24 months? 25 applications received, 2 approved, 23 not approved

(c) In how many of those (i) received (ii) approved and (iii) not approved cases was domestic abuse recorded as a contributing factor or reason for the request? None, as far as aware

(d) Does the authority monitor and record the decision maker and decision-making time scale for council tax write offs? If yes: (i) Who was the decision maker for these cases -Collection and Enforcement Manager for Discretionary Write off.

5. Approaches to Other Public Sector Debts

(a) Does the authority have policies or guidance in place relating to recovery of other public sector debts (e.g. housing arrears, benefit overpayments, social care charges)? No

(b) Do any of these policies explicitly reference domestic abuse as a relevant factor in debt recovery or relief decisions? Not specifically

(c) Please provide copies or links to these policies and (ii) what was the average time taken to make a decision and (iii) were individuals given a written explanation when a request is refused? Not applicable

6. Enforcement Agents

(a) Are external enforcement agents used for council tax recovery? If yes, please provide the name(s) of current suppliers. Equita and CDER group

(b) Did your procurement or process for selection of external enforcement agents consider vulnerability in relation to domestic abuse? no

(d) Do you share vulnerability relating to domestic abuse with enforcement agents, and if so under what policy or data sharing agreement? Please provide copy of the applicable data sharing agreement, if available - No

7. Training and practice

(a) Are your staff required to undertake training that include identifying signs of domestic abuse? No

(b) Are your staff required to undertake training that includes identifying signs of economic abuse? No

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is South Derbyshire District Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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