LOCALS are facing “massive stress” in trying to pay their council tax, it was claimed today, after figures revealed that the level of arrears is on the rise in Dundee.
The average person seeking help with their debts from a national charity found themselves more than £1,300 in arrears with the local authority last year.
According to the charity StepChange, that’s up from an average of just over £1,000 three years previously.
The rise has been highest in the Dundee West constituency where arrears have more than doubled to £1,600 since 2012. However, in Dundee East they’ve dropped from £1,317 to £1,054.
Stobswell resident Connor Beaton, 20, is currently experiencing difficulty in paying back council tax arrears after missing payments due to having other bills.
He told the Tele the situation had impacted on his working and personal life — and that’s despite a freeze in council tax lasting several years.
He said: “I was in full-time employment at the time but it is really easy to get into arrears with your council tax.
“The council’s debt management team helps a lot but what it can’t help you with is the stress. If you fall behind you basically get a letter telling you to pay the full year’s council tax — you need to pay over £1,000 or you will be taken to court.
“Another problem I had was that when I was in arrears it can overlap into the next year – it is really hard to get out of the cycle.
“It creates so much pressure and massive stress. I am currently paying off my arrears but it had a really big impact on my mental health and the way I was at work.
“I missed three or four months of payments and it really takes it out of you when you get that letter from the council.”
Connor said he managed to turn the corner by reorganising his finances and setting up a direct debit to ensure that his bill would be paid the same day he got his wages.
However, he’s called on local authorities to adopt a means-tested system to replace the traditional council tax.
Mary Kinninmonth, manager of Dundee’s Citizens Advice Bureau, said that in the last year 10% of first-time clients had contacted the agency in relation to council tax arrears.
She said: “It depends on the circumstances of the people involved.
“Everyone’s circumstances are different but on the whole costs are going up while incomes have not and that is putting more pressure on people’s finances.
“My advice to people who are in arrears is to seek advice as soon as they can. It is very difficult if people find themselves in the situation where they are not paying their council tax through lack of money.
“It is often a choice between that or buying food and clothes for their kids. Come and get advice — we will help with that.”
James Stewart, StepChange’s public affairs officer, said: “Many of the Dundee residents who come to us have been facing a daily struggle with debt. Over the last decade we have seen a fall in the average amount of money they have left once their bills are paid.
“Some of them cannot afford to pay all their bills, meaning a constant battle to heat their homes and put food on the table.”
Jimmy Black, the Coldside councillor who headed up the city’s Fairness Commission, said: “The council is not a grasping debt collector — we are the city council and we are here to serve the people. We want to help people who have fallen into difficulties.
“We don’t want to be taking people to court — we have invested time and money into building advice centres so that people do have somewhere to turn.”