Manchester City Council called in bailiffs 64 times a day to chase motorists over unpaid parking fines

The authority made 23,510 referrals to bailiffs in 2022/23 for unpaid parking charges. That means they called in debt collectors 64 times a day in the period. A spokesperson for the council said their use ‘is often a last resort, with the council going to great lengths to communicate with motorists for the repayment of any unpaid fines’.

They added: “With tens of thousands of paid-for parking spaces in the city centre as well as numerous other free locations there is little justification for people to park illegally. Fines that are incurred can be reduced when paid early, with motorists also having the right to appeal any decisions they feel are incorrect.

“As in any case where there is outstanding debt the council will always look to help those who ask for it and accounts are only ever escalated to enforcement if there is no other option available to us. Any money collected from fees and fines is reinvested into the city’s highways network, ensuring that motorists can continue to travel smoothly and roads are regularly maintained. Failure to pay fines ultimately limits the Council’s ability to provide the vital services which keep Manchester running.”

In total, council bosses made 43,209 bailiff referrals, the highest in the country according to newly-obtained freedom of information figures. That means unpaid parking accounted for more than half (54 percent) of calls.

The next-highest sum was 16,281, for unpaid council tax. Since this data was collected, the council agreed to stop using debt collectors for Mancs who have fallen behind on their council tax payments but receive some form of council tax support.

The move, confirmed in January, came after a year-long campaign from union ACORN. Bailiff use in the city has steadily fallen over the last two decades, from hitting nearly one in three households in 2005 to just one in 13 the year before the pandemic.

Martin Lewis’ Money and Mental Health Policy Institute has previously criticised council tax debt collection practices for being ‘so aggressive’, likening them to a ‘caricature of the worst loan sharks’.

The charity has particularly taken issue with the use of bailiffs by councils when collecting council tax arrears, pointing out if an individual misses just one council tax payment, they could receive a notice within three weeks requiring them to pay their annual council tax bill upfront within seven days. For the average UK household, this could mean a missed £140 payment results in a £1,668 bill just three weeks later.