Collecting the cash

摘要

The UK currently has a national deficit of over £8obn, so recovering money owed to both central and local government is crucial. According to the Cabinet Office's Fraud, Error and Debt Taskforce, in early 2012 the debt owed to central and local government equated to over £400 for each working household every year. Although local councils across England collected £300m more tax last year, overall council tax collection rates increased only marginally from 97.3% to 97.4% based on published figures, local authorities collected £22.4bn of £23bn owed in 2012/13 compared with £22.1bn of£22.7bn owed in 2011/12.