Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure consistency in debt collection practices by local authorities throughout England.

It is for local authorities to decide on the most appropriate mechanisms for collecting council tax debt. The Department is working with local government and the debt advice sector to support fairer and more compassionate council tax recovery. We intend to issue updated guidance to councils, before considering the scope for further reforms.