Request:
1 . The number of households in council tax arrears for each financial year from 2015-16 to 2025-26.
2. Of those households who are in council tax arrears please provide the average amount of arrears a household is in for each financial year from 2015-16 to 2025-26.
3. The total amount of council tax arrears for each financial year from 2015-16 to 2025-26.
4. The highest amount owed by one household for 2025-26 for the most recent financial year.
Response:
The table below shows the outstanding balances for each year on 30 April 2026. Please be aware the outstanding balances include balances at liability order and un-summonsed balances where further information is required (new changes to accounts for previous years, status of deceased estate, abscond address etc).
| Accounts with arrears | Outstanding Debt | Average | |
| 2015/16 | 1779 | £656,165.60 | £368.84 |
| 2016/17 | 2183 | £908,051.35 | £415.96 |
| 2017/18 | 2748 | £1,221,258.81 | £444.42 |
| 2018/19 | 3303 | £1,663,309.11 | £503.58 |
| 2019/20 | 3854 | £2,139,070.19 | £555.03 |
| 2020/21 | 3514 | £2,459,335.62 | £699.87 |
| 2021/22 | 4084 | £3,009,363.30 | £736.87 |
| 2022/23 | 4722 | £3,549,186.24 | £751.63 |
| 2023/24 | 5818 | £4,214,904.96 | £724.46 |
| 2024/25 | 7360 | £5,311,048.20 | £721.61 |
| 2025/26 | 12700 | £7,683,028.62 | £604.96 |
Highest outstanding balance for 2025/26 is £11,422.64 (Band E property with an additional unoccupied 300% premium attached)