We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
We're aware that dates on the Forum are not currently showing correctly. Please bear with us while we get this fixed, and see Site feedback for updates.
Final Step Letter - Help!

alispalis
Posts: 7 Forumite
Today I received a letter from the London Collection and Compliance Centre stating that I have failed to make payments and need to pay £980 in full.
It has my correct name, date of birth and address on the letter, alongside a reference number which surprisingly matches my Council Tax account number.
I received this years council tax billed sometime in March and followed this up with a payment of £20. This paid off the remainder of the outstanding balance for last year, plus extra to cover 2 or maybe 3 weeks for the new year.
I do pay sporadically and prefer to pay in larger amounts than the £3 per week payment plan they refer to in their letters. So whilst my payments are not always on time, I do pay my council tax. Their payment dates don't match the dates when I am paid my ESA fortnightly, so to them it may appear I am not paying when in actual fact, I am.
I have had no letters from my council in the run up to todays Final Steps letter and so I am surprised to receive it. I was planning to pay an extra £12 of council tax next week Wednesday when I receive my ESA.
My discounted rate of council tax is roughly around £47 for the entire year but it appears in this letter that Islington Council has charged me for the entire year in full for this year and passed it on to the London Collection and Compliance Centre.
They've stated several options for the next steps, some being to collect the debt from my ESA, issue a warrant for my arrest, possible time in prison, entering my home to take my possessions, etc.
Is this correct?!
I am honestly so worried and scared about all of this. It has been a bad year for me. My baby was stillborn last summer, Islington Council used this as an opportunity to evict me based on the fact that I was no longer vulnerable due to having no child because he died and I have since been forced to rent privately and the cost of doing so is extortionate in terms of bills.
When I was previously late with payments years ago, I received letters informing me of what I can do, offering assistance, etc. But this time I have received nothing - no reminders from Islington Council to pay my council tax, no warnings, absolutely nothing. Just this awful letter today.
I truly don't think I can take much more problems in such a short time. My anxiety is through the roof as it is, I rarely leave my home actually and now this has just been added to the huge pile. The thought of having anymore money taken directly from my ESA is just awful, especially as I assumed I was up to date with my payments and I have had no prior warning.
I feel I'm finding myself in a right pickle here and the hole is only getting bigger. I know I need to call them and will do so on Monday, it seems the bad news letter are almost always received on a Saturday!
I have 10 days to appeal from the date of the letter - I have only 5 days left to do so and it's the weekend. I fear my ESA will soon come to an end as well seeing as they apparently never received my questionnaire which I most definitely returned.
I feel as though I have been let down so badly by this entire borough in the last year alone. I am in the middle of a negligence claim against the hospital for the death of my baby as well.
There's a lot going on. This letter this morning has just set me off.
It has my correct name, date of birth and address on the letter, alongside a reference number which surprisingly matches my Council Tax account number.
I received this years council tax billed sometime in March and followed this up with a payment of £20. This paid off the remainder of the outstanding balance for last year, plus extra to cover 2 or maybe 3 weeks for the new year.
I do pay sporadically and prefer to pay in larger amounts than the £3 per week payment plan they refer to in their letters. So whilst my payments are not always on time, I do pay my council tax. Their payment dates don't match the dates when I am paid my ESA fortnightly, so to them it may appear I am not paying when in actual fact, I am.
I have had no letters from my council in the run up to todays Final Steps letter and so I am surprised to receive it. I was planning to pay an extra £12 of council tax next week Wednesday when I receive my ESA.
My discounted rate of council tax is roughly around £47 for the entire year but it appears in this letter that Islington Council has charged me for the entire year in full for this year and passed it on to the London Collection and Compliance Centre.
They've stated several options for the next steps, some being to collect the debt from my ESA, issue a warrant for my arrest, possible time in prison, entering my home to take my possessions, etc.
Is this correct?!
I am honestly so worried and scared about all of this. It has been a bad year for me. My baby was stillborn last summer, Islington Council used this as an opportunity to evict me based on the fact that I was no longer vulnerable due to having no child because he died and I have since been forced to rent privately and the cost of doing so is extortionate in terms of bills.
When I was previously late with payments years ago, I received letters informing me of what I can do, offering assistance, etc. But this time I have received nothing - no reminders from Islington Council to pay my council tax, no warnings, absolutely nothing. Just this awful letter today.
I truly don't think I can take much more problems in such a short time. My anxiety is through the roof as it is, I rarely leave my home actually and now this has just been added to the huge pile. The thought of having anymore money taken directly from my ESA is just awful, especially as I assumed I was up to date with my payments and I have had no prior warning.
I feel I'm finding myself in a right pickle here and the hole is only getting bigger. I know I need to call them and will do so on Monday, it seems the bad news letter are almost always received on a Saturday!
I have 10 days to appeal from the date of the letter - I have only 5 days left to do so and it's the weekend. I fear my ESA will soon come to an end as well seeing as they apparently never received my questionnaire which I most definitely returned.
I feel as though I have been let down so badly by this entire borough in the last year alone. I am in the middle of a negligence claim against the hospital for the death of my baby as well.
There's a lot going on. This letter this morning has just set me off.
alispalis
Tea lover, worrier and digger of financial holes.
Living life after the loss of our baby boy
Tea lover, worrier and digger of financial holes.
Living life after the loss of our baby boy

0
Comments
-
Hi, I feel really sorry for you. I have suffered with severe anxiety myself and know how bloody awful it is and how hard it is to deal with even basic stuff. However, it has to be dealt with somehow so two ideas.
Firstly I always prefer to talk to someone face-to-face if possible so is it possible for you to make a trip to the council offices first thing on Monday even if you have to wait a while ( I take a paper then do puzzles to distract myself while waiting.
Alternatively if you just cant stand to deal with it by yourself, could you get yourself along to nearest CAB (again a wait probably) then you could talk it through with (hopefully) a kindly face. With either of these its always good if you can have a pal go with you.
Finally, if at all possible it would probably be better if you could make regular payments to keep you straight.
Best of luck of with it all - sending love and hugs xx0 -
To save you worrying over the weekend give this advice line a call so that you know what steps you need to take.
Have a pen and paper ready to write down what they say. Tell them you are writing it down so that they can repeat information.
They are taking calls until 1pm today.
https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/Pages/contactus/debtadvice.aspx0 -
Hi
I just wanted to say I'm sorry about the loss of your baby boy.My first baby girl was stillborn so I empathise with you.It does shake your trust in the world.I hope you are still getting support. xx0 -
The further steps notice is a legal notice for the collection of court fines - it's not part of the council tax process. The London Collection and Compliance Centre deal primarily with fine collections and issue the notice to give the 10 day appeal period.
The ' London Collection and Compliance Centre' is a part of HM Court Service - the most they would have to do with council tax is issue the court summons (most councils post the summons on behalf of the courts but the London councils may be different). Anything after that granting of the liability order (for which the summons is the application) is handed directly by the local authority unless a committal to prison application, bankruptcy or a charging order is issued.
You need to contact the court, not the council.
CraigI no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0 -
Leaving aside the unfortunate circumstances that have brought you here, you don't get to just pick and choose when and how you pay your council tax, especially once you are in a payment plan.
This is a oriority debt, you have to find a way to pay it.0 -
GarthThomas wrote: »Leaving aside the unfortunate circumstances that have brought you here, you don't get to just pick and choose when and how you pay your council tax, especially once you are in a payment plan.
This is a oriority debt, you have to find a way to pay it.
Very true but the council tax may not be an issue (yet) - they currently have the court fine the further steps letter is for but they should hear from the council separately if there's any problem on that side.
CraigI no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 348.4K Banking & Borrowing
- 252.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 452.4K Spending & Discounts
- 241K Work, Benefits & Business
- 617.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 175.7K Life & Family
- 254.2K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards