‘I just wanted to speak to an actual person’: The phone calls that helped Neil take back control of his council tax debt

Council tax arrears are a priority debt, meaning they can carry some of the most serious consequences if left unpaid. Missing payments can quickly lead to further action, including a court summons and enforcement by bailiffs. Yet as households continue to struggle with rising costs, more than £9bn is now owed to councils in unpaid council tax, according to the latest government data.

As council tax debt continues to rise across the UK, people struggling with bills can often find themselves dealing with letters, automated messages and online systems at the very moment they need a conversation with someone who can explain their options.

Neil from Liverpool knows this feeling all too well.

After moving to live alone for the first time in almost two decades, he found himself responsible for managing every household bill himself. Within months, he had fallen behind with his council tax payments and was unaware of how quickly the situation was escalating.

His experience highlights the importance of early support, and the difference that simply being able to speak to another person can make.

‘I just assumed it was automatic’

Neil had been used to a different way of managing money.

“For like the last 17 years I was living with my girlfriend, and basically, I just used to give her £500 a month, and she paid everything,” he told Money Wellness.

“When I moved in on my own, I just kind of got a bit… behind.”

Around six months later, Neil realised there was a problem with his council tax.

He believed his payments were being made, but after receiving letters and speaking to the council, he discovered he was behind by several months.

At the time, his council tax arrears were around £350, but the situation quickly became more stressful.

Neil later received contact from enforcement agents over another debt, which prompted him to seek help.

‘It was nagging away in the back of my mind’

The worry didn’t just affect Neil financially, it began to impact his confidence and his work.

Neil works in a demanding medical support role and was already adjusting to a new job when the financial pressure started to build.

“I was feeling a lot more stressed, because that was like nagging away in the back of my mind.”

“I’m a bit of a worrier, so yeah, it was actually affecting the job I was doing.”

His council tax arrears were part of wider financial difficulties, with his total debts reaching more than £8,000.

Why talking to someone matters

Neil’s experience left him feeling that debt support needs to be easier to access and more personal.

After receiving contact about another debt, Neil was eventually connected with Money Wellness. We helped him understand his options and supported him through a Debt Relief Order (DRO).

A DRO allows you to freeze your debts for 12 months. If your circumstances haven’t changed after this time, your debts will be written off.

However, a DRO is not suitable for everyone. There are eligibility criteria around debt levels, income and assets. It can affect access to some financial products, appears on a public register and will impact credit reports. Depending on someone’s circumstances, another debt solution may be more appropriate.

For Neil, the biggest difference was having someone explain his options and help him understand what to do next.

“Rather than rely on waiting for an email or wait for the text message or something like that, I’d rather just phone someone and speak to someone, to sort it out that way.”

He believes this is particularly important because not everyone feels comfortable navigating online systems.

“Not everyone is [tech] savvy and so I think, if you know who to ask for advice, you will get the help you need.”

‘It’s been such a weight lifted off my shoulders’

The DRO gave Neil the opportunity to deal with his debts and start again.

“I’d say it’s kind of given me a kick up the… you know, just to say, no, you’ve got to wake up.”

For Neil, getting support meant more than just dealing with debt, it gave him the confidence to take control of his finances.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to has been amazing.”

“It’s been such a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

Although he says he’s still learning to manage money independently, Neil feels he is now moving in the right direction.

“I, touch wood, I seem to be getting there slowly but surely.”

A message to anyone falling behind

Neil's advice for anyone struggling with council tax or other debts is not to wait until the situation becomes unmanageable.

“I’d probably recommend speaking to yourselves. Or just going to Citizen Advice, something like that.”

“But yeah, there’s help there if you need it.”

For Neil, speaking to a debt adviser made the difference between worrying about what would happen next and having a plan to move forward.

Image: Neil Brooks