Written Question·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·UIN 74391

Council Tax: Non-payment

Tabled: 2 September 2025

Answered: 15 September 2025

Question

Gill Furniss

Labour — Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to remove the sanction of imprisonment for non-payment of Council Tax in England as part of wider proposed sentencing reforms.

Answer

Alison McGovern

The sanction of imprisonment for non-payment of council tax only applies where the court is satisfied that non-payment is due to wilful refusal to pay or culpable neglect. A person cannot be imprisoned for being unable to pay their council tax. The govern...

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