MSPs to vote on cutting 'unpayable' council tax debt to end 'cycles of poverty'

The Scottish Parliament will consider the final batch of amendments to the SNP government’s Housing Bill, with hundreds of proposed changes considered over two late-sitting days at Holyrood last week and more time today.

Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer has tabled an amendment that, if passed, would cut the time limit for council tax arrears to be pursued in Scotland from 20 years to six years.

Anti-poverty campaigners, including Aberlour, have warned the current set-up in Scotland acts to “trap families in a cycle of poverty, through seized benefits, missed payments, new loans and extortionate interest”.

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Mr Greer said: “The same councils who provide free school lunches to support children in poverty are sending sheriff officers to their home after school, all to chase debts they know these families cannot afford to pay off.

“This system leaves families trapped in cycles of poverty and financial crisis. They fear every knock on their door. It doesn't even work for councils, who go to huge expense to chase people for money they don't have.”

“The First Minister’s top priority is eradicating child poverty. He knows it makes no sense for Scotland to pile more misery onto families by pursuing these toxic debts for four times longer than England.

“I’m sure he also knows that this historic debt is largely unpayable, but the Scottish Government is still holding back on supporting my proposals.”

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First Minister John Swinney has said that he has “a lot of sympathy” over the issue of “long-standing council tax debt” and stressed he was “open to further dialogue on how we might pursue his ideas”.

But he warned that Mr Greer’s proposals “have not been subject to the amount of consultation that would normally apply for legislation”.

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He added: “The Parliament rightly pressurises the government to ensure that there is proper consultation—as do stakeholders, including our local authority partners.”