Council tax arrears spiralling at £1,500 a minute as billions in debt mounts up

Council tax arrears have spiralled at the rate of £1,500 every minute, according to a new analysis which warns of households sinking deeper into debt. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) found that council tax arrears rose by £782million in 2025-26, hitting £7.4billion. The findings land as families across the nation face yet another hike in their bills. The average Band D council tax in England rose by £111 to £2,392 in April – a jump of 4.9%. The CSJ points to an 8.98% increase by Worcestershire County Council. The think tank warns that more than half of people in need of debt advice say they “don’t know who to trust for financial help and support”. It wants councils to act to help households before debts escalate. The Local…