Monthly Debt News looks at debts and the causes of debts in Britain to simplify the debt sector for all. This month’s Debt News includes the closing of the British Gas Individual and Families Fund, a call for Social Tariff by Scotland, parents fined for taking children out of school, t hree-quarters of court fines unpaid by criminals, UK credit card complaints record high and Newcastle co-owner in court for bankruptcy. And finally, bitesize stats to get an overview of the causes of debt. You can also catch up with monthly Debt Talk podcasts. ——————— The exact date £2,000 energy grants from the UK’s biggest supplier will END – how to get the ‘lifeline’ bill help now The British Gas Individual and Families fund will end for some people in just days. The fund was first set up in 2021 to help households struggling with energy debt . More here: Link ——————— Scotland calls for UK-wide social energy tariff Scotland’s national advice service advocates for a UK-wide social energy t
Birmingham Council went bankrupt and accelerated its debt recovery to collect council tax and other fines by 500% between 2022 and 2023. It was revealed under the Freedom of Information Request. Other councils throughout the United Kingdom also use enforcement agents to recover unpaid debts since many are overstretched with their finances. To highlight the severity of this issue in this month's podcast on Debt Talk, Ripon Ray explored: 'Council finance, tax & debt recovery’. To assist him with the subject, Helen Ganney from Christians Against Poverty explained the challenges the debt advice sector faces in negotiating with some councils when many clients have insufficient funds to pay council tax debts and are in a deficit budget. Yet, there have been challenges with them and their agents to accept minimal payment or to hold enforcement action. She emphasised that many of these agents focus on collecting debts whilst not considering whether some residents can afford to pa