PRESS RELEASE
3 July 2014:
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
‘Local authorities should be congratulated’ for high collection rates of Council tax and Non-domestic rates
The Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) has said today that local authorities in England should be congratulated for their continued high rates of collection of council tax and non-domestic rates. The comments were made on the publication, today, of the 2013-2014 Council Tax and National Non Domestic Rates Collection statistics for England.
Gordon Heath, Chairman of the IRRV Local Taxation Faculty Board commented on the release of the figures:
“Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis has stated that the official figures reveal that there is ‘lots of room to improve’ in council tax collection in a small number of authorities. Perhaps the Minister should reflect more fully on the fantastic job that the large majority of billing authorities have done in collecting council tax under very challenging conditions.
“Local Authorities are always striving to improve collection and reduce arrears. The IRRV believes that the collection rate data for last year does not reflect the significant differences underlying collection of council tax in 2013-14 in comparison to 2012-13 and previous years when collection percentages were higher. These differences include the successful introduction of council tax reduction schemes last year, to replace council tax benefit, along with a significant budgetary cut of about 10 per cent to local authorities for this support. New localised discounts were also introduced last year, to replace the former Class A and C exemption categories, a change which also impacted financially on billing authorities.
“There is additional success to note in relation to non-domestic rates collection, with authorities in England achieving a national average in-year collection rate of 97.9% in 2013-14. This represents an increase of 0.2 percentage points over collection rates for 2012-13 and highlights billing authorities’ determination to improve their performance.
“Yes, improvements will continue to be made, but the achievement of an average collection rate of 97% for council tax and 97.9% in respect of non-domestic rates is something to be applauded. These are collection rates that would be the envy of most of the government agencies which are tasked with collecting debt.
ENDS
Notes for the Editor
The Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) was founded in 1882 and is the UK’s leading professional body in the field of local authority revenues, including the associated valuation for local taxation and the administration of housing and council tax benefits.
The IRRV has 4,000 members in the UK and internationally.
The IRRV was responding to the release of the collection rates for Council Tax and non-domestic rates in England, for 2013/2014, by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/collection-rates-for-council-tax-and-non-domestic-rates-in-england-2013-to-2014
In addition to the collection rate data, the DCLG issued an accompanying press release:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/official-figures-reveal-room-to-improve-council-tax-collection
Contacts for further information:
Moira Hepworth, IRRV Policy and Research Manager: 07971 881253 (including out of office hours)
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