News / Housing
‘Dignity over debt has won’
Thousands of Bristol’s poorest households will no longer be targeted by bailiffs for debt to the city council in a major victory for campaign group ACORN.
Council leader Tony Dyer has confirmed that the authority will stop sending enforcement agents to vulnerable people who are unable to pay.
These include residents on income-related benefits, working people on low pay, and those who have lost jobs, significant hours of employment or tax credits.
is needed now More than ever
Community union ACORN has hailed it as a huge triumph after high-profile protests prompted talks with Dyer who has agreed to stop the use of bailiffs to collect any form of council debt from people least able to afford it.
The campaign group said an estimated 36 per cent of Bristolians were on benefits and that, with low-income households added, many more than one in three people in the city will be protected from bailiff visits and repossessions.
Bristol City Council is stopping using bailiffs against the city’s poorest households – photo: Betty Woolerton
ACORN Bristol branch secretary Wesley said: “This victory has been a long time coming.
“It’s taken the hard work of hundreds of low-income ACORN members and several public demonstrations to win a firm commitment from council leader Tony Dyer.
“All Bristolians on benefits – that’s a third of Bristolians – will be able to breathe easier knowing bailiffs won’t be knocking at their doors.
“This commitment is substantial, and we look forward to working with the council to put it into practice and go even further in slashing the use of bailiffs.
“The days of intimidation and fear are numbered – dignity over debt has won.”
Tony Dyer is a Green councillor for Southville – photo: Local Democracy Reporting Service
Dyer (Green, Southville) said: “I support ACORN’s ask for the government to reinstate a centrally funded council tax benefit and to explore fairer alternatives to council tax, which the Green Party has long called for.
“As a council, we welcome government’s commitment to ensuring a fairer approach to debt collection and would like to see local crisis funding fully restored to ensure that there is a viable support alternative to debt enforcement.
“In the meantime, we are already identifying vulnerable debtors on our system so we can stop sending bailiffs to those debtors who are unable to pay.
“This would almost certainly include those on income-related benefits, including working people on low incomes.
“It also includes people who are identified as temporarily vulnerable when their income has significantly dropped, such as where they have lost work or material working hours, welfare benefits and tax credits.
“As a local authority, we have a statutory duty to collect council tax to fund essential public services such as education, social care, waste collection, and emergency response.
“We take this responsibility seriously and are committed to following a fair and proportionate recovery and enforcement process which considers vulnerabilities.”
ACORN launched its campaign against Bristol City Council’s use of bailiffs in October 2024 and confronted Dyer on his way to give a talk at M Shed months later.
A knight in armour once challenged council leader Tony Dyer for failing to stop alleged abuses by council-employed bailiffs – photo: Darren Shepherd
Then in May this year, dozens of the union’s members marched on City Hall led by a knight in full medieval armour announcing their demands from a scroll and placed ‘Wanted’ posters on the front doors.
As previously reported, the council sent bailiffs to chase more than 27,000 outstanding council tax bills between April 2023 and March 2024 – about one out of every eight households in the city.
That was despite the authority’s policy stating it would follow a “fair and proportionate recovery and enforcement process”, taking into account vulnerability and the ability to pay.
ACORN members claimed they had been unfairly intimidated and bullied by debt enforcers.
One of them, Sharon, said: “For months, bailiff action completely wrecked my life – I was living in fear, struggling to breathe under the pressure, and choosing between rent, food, and heat.
“When no one else would listen, ACORN stood by me.
“They helped me fight back, campaign, and make my voice heard.
“Because of that persistence, the public pressure we put on the council and the meetings we held with council leaders, things are finally changing – the council has now committed to supporting vulnerable and low-income families instead of punishing them.
“I’m proud that what I went through is helping make sure no one else has to face what I did.
“Bullying people into further financial detriment only makes the problem worse.”
Adam Postans is a local democracy reporter for Bristol
Main photo: Darren Shepherd
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