Lewisham Council Tax Arrears Help and Payment Plans

The Enforcement Timeline

Council tax debt escalates through a fixed sequence, and understanding where you are in that sequence determines what options remain open. Lewisham follows the same statutory process as every billing authority in England.

Reminder notice: Lewisham sends a reminder as soon as you miss a payment. It gives you seven days to pay all missed instalments. If you do not pay, the council may issue a summons for the full amount.

Final notice: if Lewisham sends a final notice, you lose the right to pay by instalments and must pay the remaining council tax for the financial year within seven days. If you do not, the council may issue a summons.

Summons: the council applies to the magistrates' court for a liability order. You'll receive a summons with a court date. Lewisham adds £72.50 when it issues the summons and a further £50 if a liability order is granted at the hearing.

Liability order: once granted by the court, this gives the council extensive recovery powers — attachment of earnings, deductions from benefits, or referral to enforcement agents (bailiffs).

Act Before the Summons

The critical intervention point is before the court stage. Once a liability order is granted, the council's options for recovering the debt expand dramatically and the costs added to your account increase.

If you're struggling to pay, contact Lewisham Council's revenues team as soon as possible and ask about a revised payment schedule. If a summons has already been issued, requesting a payment arrangement does not stop the court action.

If you're in arrears because you should have been receiving Council Tax Reduction but hadn't applied, submit your CTR application now. The award won't be backdated automatically (working-age backdating requires a separate request with good cause), but it reduces your ongoing liability and may prevent further debt accumulating.

Free Debt Advice

If a liability order has already been granted, or if you have multiple debts alongside council tax, get specialist debt advice before agreeing to any payment arrangement. Free, accredited services that cover Lewisham include:

• Citizens Advice Lewisham: freephone 0800 231 5453, or in person at Leemore Community Hub, SE13 5EU (Mon-Thu appointments)
• StepChange Debt Charity: free confidential advice and structured repayment plans, available nationally
• National Debtline: freephone advice and self-help tools for managing multiple debts
• Community Advice Works: drop-in sessions in New Cross Gate

These organisations can negotiate with the council on your behalf, help you apply for Breathing Space (a legal moratorium that pauses enforcement for 60 days while you get advice), and identify whether an insolvency solution is appropriate for your overall debt situation.

What Enforcement Agents Can and Cannot Do

If Lewisham passes your debt to enforcement agents, they must follow the Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013. They must give at least 14 clear days' notice before taking control of goods; for a non-business debt, a debt advice provider can request an extension to 28 days. They generally cannot force entry to your home on a council tax debt and must enter peacefully, such as through an unlocked door or with your permission.

Enforcement agents can take and sell goods to cover the debt, but essential household items (clothing, bedding, cooking equipment, a fridge, a washing machine) are protected. They cannot take items that belong to someone else, tools of your trade up to £1,350 in value, or anything subject to a hire-purchase agreement.

For cases referred to enforcement agents on or after 1 May 2026, the fees are £79 for the compliance stage and £247 plus 7.5% of the debt above £1,900 for an enforcement visit. Earlier cases may use the previous fee amounts.

This Guide Doesn't Replace Debt Advice

If you're facing enforcement action, a PDF guide is not the right tool. You need a qualified debt adviser who can assess your full financial picture, intervene with the council directly, and access options like Breathing Space that require professional involvement.

The Lewisham Council Tax Reduction guide covers the process for claiming CTR to reduce your ongoing liability and prevent further arrears building up. But for existing debt that's reached the court or enforcement stage, start with Citizens Advice Lewisham or StepChange.

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