Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to stop local authorities using (a) bailiffs and (b) debt collection agents collecting (i) rent and (ii) council tax arrears.

The Government has put in place measures to prevent enforcement agents taking control of goods at residential premises and on highways until 23 August 2020.

This is part of an unprecedented support package to help prevent people getting into rent arrears or financial hardship. The Government has also taken action to prevent renters, including council tenants, from eviction. On 5 June, the Government announced that the current suspension of evictions from social or private rented accommodation will be extended by 2 months until 23 August 2020. This means that no action to evict a tenant will proceed before 24 August 2020. The emergency measures in the Coronavirus Act, which requires landlords to give at least 3 months' notice to evict tenants, are unaffected by this and remain in place until 30 September 2020.

Many local authorities have put in place alternative council tax collection arrangements to support their local residents in paying their bills. In addition, the Government has provided an additional £500 million hardship fund to help some of the most vulnerable households with their council tax bills.