Martin Lewis has issued a major warning over unpaid Council Tax bills – with the money-saving expert taking umbrage to how the debts are currently being recovered.
Addressing the issue on his latest ITV show, Lewis posted on X: “Miss one Council Tax monthly payment and within three weeks they can make you pay for the whole year!
“My response after listening to a case study who’s finances were wrecked by this.”
In the clip, Mr Lewis said: “This affects millions of people.
“I want to know why councils think somebody who struggles to pay for their council tax monthly can pay for the entire year in one.” Mr Lewis said: “How does that help somebody’s finances? It is counterproductive – they are destroying people’s long-term financial goals.
“It’s bad for the individual, it’s bad for the economy, it’s bad for the NHS.”
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association, which represents 315 councils in England and all 22 unitary authorities in Wales, said: “Councils strive to ensure they have fair council tax collection policies and should always try to work with people who are struggling to meet their council tax bills.
“We agree that bailiffs should only ever be used as a last resort.”
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