Councils ‘treat debtors worse than payday lenders’
0Debtors feel they are treated less fairly by local authorities than by retail lenders, according to a survey.
A 2018 survey by debt charity StepChange, cited in a report this week by the National Audit Office, said that 25% of those behind with their payments to local authorities felt they were treated unfairly by councils.
This compared to 19% to 24% for retail lenders, and 32% for payday lenders.
Separate research cited in the NAO report, by the Money Advice Trust, found that total bailiff referrals by local authorities in England and Wales increased by 14% between 2014/15 and 2016/17.
In July, the treasury select committee called on the government to rein in local authorities over their “overzealous” pursuit of debts.
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