Council tax enforcement
I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In order to assist you with this request, I am outlining my query as specifically as possible.
1. In relation to your collection of council tax for the 2022/2023 council tax period please provide the total number of referrals/debts passed to enforcement agents.
2. Please confirm the name of the enforcement company used by the council for the recovery of council tax debt.
3. Please confirm if accounts which are part of the council tax reduction/support scheme are passed to enforcement companies and if so how many such cases were passed on for the 2022/23 council tax period.
4. Please confirm if accounts of people on health/disability related benefits such as Disability Living Allowance, Employment Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payment are passed to enforcement companies and if so how many such cases were passed on for the 2022/23 council tax period.
5. Please confirm if an assessment of vulnerability is done prior to a debt being passed to an enforcement company and if so provide a brief description of what the assessment involves. Please also confirm how many cases of people assessed as being vulnerable or potentially vulnerable were passed on to an enforcement company for the 2022/23 council tax period.
6. Please confirm what protocols are in place between the local authority and enforcement companies regarding the approach that should be taken when someone is assessed as being vulnerable as per the assessment referred to in Q5. Please also confirm the kinds of cases which should be raised with, or referred back to, local authorities for further consideration when encountered.
7. Please confirm A) how many requests the council received to bring a council tax debt back from an enforcement agent due to vulnerability reasons during the 2022/23 period and B) How many times the council agreed to bring an account back due to vulnerability reasons during the 2022/23 period.
If my request is denied in whole or in part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the Act. I will also expect you to release all non-exempt material. I reserve the right to appeal your decision to withhold any information or to charge excessive fees.
I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request. I look forward to your response within 20 working days, as outlined by the statute.
If you are unable to answer any of the questions, then please move on to the next possible question.
Yours faithfully,
Natalie Bloomer
Thank you for your email. We will aim to contact you within 3 working
days. In the meantime, further information is provided within the Make a
Freedom of Information request in Knowsley Council section of our website.
Kind regards Customer Liaison Team
This e-mail and any attachments are confidential. It may contain
privileged information and is intended for the named recipient(s) only. It
must not be distributed without consent. If you are not one of the
intended recipients, please notify the sender immediately and do not
disclose, distribute, or retain this email or any part of it and do not
take any action based on it.
Unless expressly stated, opinions in this email are those of the
individual sender, and not of Knowsley MBC. Legally binding obligations
can only be created for, or be entered into on behalf of, Knowsley MBC by
duly authorised officers or representatives.
Knowsley MBC excludes any liability whatsoever for any offence caused, any
direct or consequential loss arising from the use, or reliance on, this
e-mail or its contents. We believe but do not warrant that this e-mail and
any attachments are virus free. You must therefore take full
responsibility for virus checking and no responsibility is accepted for
loss or damage arising from viruses or changes made to this message after
it was sent. Knowsley MBC reserves the right to monitor and/or record all
e-mail communications through its network in accordance with relevant
legislation.
Dear Ms Bloomer
Thank you for your email received on 11 October 2023 requesting
information about Council Tax enforcement.
Please note you can now log a Freedom of Information request on our online
portal on the following link
[1]https://www.knowsley.gov.uk/your-council...
I have recorded your request for information under reference
F2023.10.7030.
This has been passed to the relevant service and you will receive a
response by 08 November 2023.
In line with guidance published by the Information Commissioner’s Office,
the council may make a charge for the provision of information – for
example in order to cover the costs of postage (in line with the relevant
postal charges) or charges for printing and copying (which will reflect
photocopying charges levied by the council’s public libraries) or if this
falls within the regulations of an EIR (Environmental Information).
You will be informed if a fee is to be applied before information is to be
provided.
If you need further information please contact me.
Kind regards,
Customer Liaison Team
Knowsley Council
Archway Road
Huyton
Knowsley
Merseyside
L36 9UX
This e-mail and any attachments are confidential. It may contain
privileged information and is intended for the named recipient(s) only. It
must not be distributed without consent. If you are not one of the
intended recipients, please notify the sender immediately and do not
disclose, distribute, or retain this email or any part of it and do not
take any action based on it.
Unless expressly stated, opinions in this email are those of the
individual sender, and not of Knowsley MBC. Legally binding obligations
can only be created for, or be entered into on behalf of, Knowsley MBC by
duly authorised officers or representatives.
Knowsley MBC excludes any liability whatsoever for any offence caused, any
direct or consequential loss arising from the use, or reliance on, this
e-mail or its contents. We believe but do not warrant that this e-mail and
any attachments are virus free. You must therefore take full
responsibility for virus checking and no responsibility is accepted for
loss or damage arising from viruses or changes made to this message after
it was sent. Knowsley MBC reserves the right to monitor and/or record all
e-mail communications through its network in accordance with relevant
legislation.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.knowsley.gov.uk/your-council...
Your FOI request has been completed
Dear Natalie Bloomer
Your FOI with Reference Number : 7030 has been completed please [1]click
here to view it
Customer Liaison Team
Knowsley Council
Archway Road
Huyton
Merseyside
L36 9UX
[2]www.knowsley.gov.uk
This e-mail and any attachments are confidential. It may contain
privileged information and is intended for the named recipient(s) only. It
must not be distributed without consent. If you are not one of the
intended recipients, please notify the sender immediately and do not
disclose, distribute, or retain this email or any part of it and do not
take any action based on it.
Unless expressly stated, opinions in this email are those of the
individual sender, and not of Knowsley MBC. Legally binding obligations
can only be created for, or be entered into on behalf of, Knowsley MBC by
duly authorised officers or representatives.
Knowsley MBC excludes any liability whatsoever for any offence caused, any
direct or consequential loss arising from the use, or reliance on, this
e-mail or its contents. We believe but do not warrant that this e-mail and
any attachments are virus free. You must therefore take full
responsibility for virus checking and no responsibility is accepted for
loss or damage arising from viruses or changes made to this message after
it was sent. Knowsley MBC reserves the right to monitor and/or record all
e-mail communications through its network in accordance with relevant
legislation.
References
Visible links
1. https://knowsleytransaction.mendixcloud....
2. http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/
We work to defend the right to FOI for everyone
Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Donate and support our work.
Donate Now