Barnet Signs Council Tax Protocol: Earlier Help on Arrears

Barnet Council has signed the Citizens Advice Council Tax Protocol, a set of good-practice rules for chasing unpaid council tax. It commits the council to step in earlier, write to people more clearly and weigh their circumstances before arrears turn into bigger debts.

The council signed it on Thursday 29 October at Chipping Barnet Foodbank. In its announcement, the council said the protocol followed several months of work with Citizens Advice Barnet and the foodbank on what it called “a fairer and more supportive approach to Council Tax collection”.

What the council has signed up to

According to the council, under the protocol it will:

• intervene early when residents fall behind with their payments;
• be clearer in the way it communicates with them;
• work closely with residents before debts escalate;
• consider individual circumstances, especially for people who are more disadvantaged, when dealing with arrears.

The protocol itself, according to the notes with the council’s release, “promotes good practice between councils, enforcement agencies and advice organisations, with a focus on early intervention, affordable repayment arrangements and appropriate support for people experiencing financial hardship or vulnerability.”

Why the foodbank was chosen

The council said the venue was chosen to highlight “the important role of voluntary and community organisations in supporting residents facing financial difficulty”.

Bob Bevil, Advocacy and Campaign Lead at Chipping Barnet Foodbank, said debt was a common reason people turn up there:

“At Chipping Barnet Foodbank debt is one of the main underlying reasons why residents come to us. Any initiative, like this commitment to the Council Tax Protocol, that helps alleviate the experience of poverty and enables residents to afford the essentials to live with dignity, is warmly welcomed.”

What Citizens Advice Barnet says

Louise Broadbent, Research and Campaigns Lead at Citizens Advice Barnet, said the charity had pressed the council on how it collects the tax:

“At Citizens Advice Barnet, we work with Barnet’s most disadvantaged residents and see first-hand how local policies and practices impact them. In partnership with Chipping Barnet Foodbank, we have been working closely with Barnet Council on their collection of Council Tax to better support such residents, and we are delighted with the progress we have made together.

“Signing the Council Tax Protocol is a public recognition of this progress and a declaration of our joint ongoing commitment to a supportive approach to Council Tax collection. We look forward to continuing to work together to build on the progress we have made and achieve an approach to Council Tax collection that supports all disadvantaged residents in Barnet.”

The council’s case

Cllr Simon Radford, Cabinet Member for Financial Sustainability, said:

“Signing the Council Tax Protocol is an important milestone in our commitment to making sure residents who are struggling financially are treated fairly and can access support as early as possible.

“Council tax revenue is vital for the council to provide services it’s legally required to provide, this includes Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, bin collections, road maintenance and more.

“By working closely with Citizens Advice Barnet, Chipping Barnet Foodbank and our wider voluntary and community sector, we can help people get the advice they need and prevent financial difficulties from escalating.”

A new company collecting the bills

Council tax in Barnet is now handled by Liberata, which has run the council’s revenues and benefits service since 1 October 2026, the council says. Gerwyn Baker, Director of Revenues & Benefits and Customer Services at Liberata, said:

“We welcome Barnet Council’s decision to sign the Council Tax Protocol. As the council’s Revenues and Benefits provider, we want residents who are struggling to pay to be supported early, given clear information about their options and treated as individuals. We look forward to working with the council, Citizens Advice Barnet and Chipping Barnet Foodbank.”

What it means for you

If you are falling behind with council tax, the council’s advice is to contact it as early as possible, through its council tax pages, or to get independent advice from Citizens Advice Barnet. The protocol is meant to make that first conversation lead to a repayment arrangement you can afford, not to enforcement.

Check too that you are not paying more than you need to. Our guide to Barnet council tax bands sets out what each band costs, the single person discount, the disabled band reduction and Council Tax Support for people on low incomes. Households in bands A to D can also check whether they will get the £100 energy payment announced in the Budget.