Committal to prison

Committal to prison proceedings are usually taken when:

• bailiffs have been unable to collect the debt or remove goods to sell at auction to pay the council tax and,
• none of the other options to recover the money are successful or feasible.

The council then has no choice but to ask the Court to issue a summons for you to attend a committal hearing.

This means that the council will be asking the Court to send you to prison for not paying the council tax.

An enquiry into your means (income/expenses) will take place and a payment order may be made by the Magistrates. Failure to maintain payments could ultimately result in a prison sentence.

If you do not appear in Court, the Magistrates will issue a warrant for your arrest, with bail. This means that a warrant officer will come and arrest you.

You will be bailed to appear in Court at a later date.

When you do appear, a means enquiry will take place and a payment order may be made. If you do not appear again, after being bailed, we will ask the Magistrates to issue a warrant for your arrest, without bail.

In this case you will be arrested and taken straight to the Court to appear in front of the Magistrates, or you may be held in police custody until you can be brought before the Court.

Every time a warrant of arrest is issued, costs are incurred which you will be liable to pay.