Bailiff regulation a ‘meaningful step forward’ in protecting the vulnerable

Steve Vaid, Chief Executive of Money Advice Trust, has responded to the government’s announcement that it will be made mandatory for private bailiffs in England and Wales to be accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board, or to work for an enforcement firm that is.

Posted August 28, 2026

Steve Vaid, Chief Executive of Money Advice Trust, the charity which runs National Debtline and Business Debtline has responded to the government’s announcement that it will be made mandatory for private bailiffs in England and Wales to be accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board, or to work for an enforcement firm that is. He said:

"This is a meaningful step forward in protecting people who are struggling with debt. For too long our advisers have been hearing stories of aggressive and unfair practices from bailiffs. Today's announcement should help to bring the sector under greater control and ensure that the knock on the door in future no longer carries the risk of unfair practices like being forced to make payments you can't afford.

"Our latest research shows stubbornly high levels of bailiff use for council tax debt, with 1.72 million cases referred by councils to bailiffs in 2025/26. When enforcement action continues to happen at such scale, it cannot be right that some bailiffs are operating outside of meaningful oversight. And local authorities need to do much more to support people to stop these debts reaching the stage of bailiff action in the first place.”

New research shows 1.72 million council tax debts referred to bailiffs

The government's announcement comes just a day after our new FOI research revealed that 1.72 million council tax debts were referred to bailiffs in 2025/26 a figure largely unchanged from the previous year.

Our research also revealed a reduction in the protections offered by councils to people on low incomes, with just 26 councils now exempting people in receipt of Council Tax Support from bailiff action, down from 35 in 2024/25. Read the full release here and access the full data set and interactive map here.

What to do if bailiffs knock?

Jack Sporcic, a Debt Adviser at National Debtline explains why bailiffs may visit and what to do if they knock on your door:

"A bailiff may visit if debts such as council tax, court fines, parking penalties or CCJs remain unpaid, particularly if previous letters have been ignored or payment arrangements have not been made. If a bailiff comes to your home, it's important to try and stay calm and take the following steps: