A charity has warned that council tax arrears could soar this year after new data showed its clients need help clearing debts almost three times higher than the average bill amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) revealed that its clients owed a cumulative £12.7million to local authorities for unpaid tax bills between September 2021 and September 2022.
And the average client had debts of up to £3,420, compared with the average council tax bill of £1,238 in 2022/23. CAS financial health spokesman Myles Fitt expressed concern that people could be forced to prioritise essentials like food, rent and energy costs, causing them to fall behind on their council tax bills.
Previous research from CAS found a large increase in complex debt clients, with many having multiple arrears. And one in two clients had no money to pay down their debts after covering the essential bills.
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