FOI Request - Unrecoverable Debts
Request 101002930335
Please can you provide me with the following data for the following years: 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21.
1. How many council tax debts were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
1. The value of the unrecoverable/written off debts for each of the listed years.
2. A breakdown of the reasons as to why the debts were written off for each of the listed years
2. How many council house rent debts were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
1. The value of the unrecoverable/written off debts for each of the listed years.
2. A breakdown of the reasons as to why the debts were written off for each of the listed years
3. How many penalty charge notices were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
1. The value of the unrecoverable/written off debts for each of the listed years.
2. A breakdown of the reasons as to why the notices were written off for each of the listed years
4. How many bus lane enforcement charge notices were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
1. The value of the unrecoverable/written off debts for each of the listed years.
2. A breakdown of the reasons as to why the debts were written off for each of the listed years
5. How many non-domestic rate debts were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
1. The value of the unrecoverable/written off debts for each of the listed years.
2. A breakdown of the reasons as to why the debts were written off for each of the listed years
6. How many housing benefit overpayment debts were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
1. The value of the unrecoverable/written off debts for each of the listed years.
2. A breakdown of the reasons as to why the debts were written off for each of the listed years
Response 14-12-21
Please note: some reasons as to why debts were written off have been redacted (***) as they may lead to the identification of individuals. This information is therefore exempt from release under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
1. How many council tax debts were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
2016/17 - Total Number of Council Tax debts written off: 1,128;
2017/18 - Total Number of Council Tax debts written off: 1,736;
2018/19 - Total Number of Council Tax debts written off: 1,612;
2019/20 - Total Number of Council Tax debts written off: 1,476;
2020/21 - Total Number of Council Tax debts written off: 2,190.
The value of the unrecoverable/written off debts for each of the listed years.
2016/17 - Total Value of Council Tax debts written off: £246,402.82;
2017/18 - Total Value of Council Tax debts written off: £414,338.51;
2018/19 - Total Value of Council Tax debts written off: £327,471.17;
2019/20 - Total Value of Council Tax debts written off: £305,415.61;
2020/21 - Total Value of Council Tax debts written off: £87,243.17.
A breakdown of the reasons as to why the debts were written off for each of the listed years
2016/17
Write Off - Credit from Pre-Conversion Account; Write Off - ***; Write Off - Sequestration; Write Off - Small Balance; Write Off - OPENRevenues Conversion
2017/18
Write Off - Credit from Pre-Conversion Account; Write Off - Deceased; Write Off - Management; Write Off - Sequestration; Write Off - Small Balance; Write Off - DAS completed term.
Write Off - OPENRevenues Conversion
2018/19
Write Off - Credit from Pre-Conversion Account; Write Off - Sequestration; Write Off - Small Balance; Write Off - DAS completed term.
2019/20
Write Off - Credit from Pre-Conversion Account; Write Off - Deceased; Write Off - Sequestration; Write Off - Prescription; Write Off - Small Balance; Write Off - DAS completed term.
2020/21
Write Off - Aged Bill less than £10;
Write Off - Aged Final Notice less than £10; Write Off - Aged Reminder less than £10; Write Off - Credit from Pre-Conversion Account; Write Off - Sequestration; Write Off - Small Balance; Write Off - DAS completed term.
2. How many council house rent debts were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
FY TOTAL VALUE
2016/17 £57279 (127 balances)
2017/18 £53298 (110 balances)
2018/19 £76805 (134 balances)
2019/20 £48603 (160 balances)
2020/21 £54141 (130 balances)
Categories for Write Offs:
• Small Balance < 1 weeks rent
• Deceased/Moved to Residential Home
• Debt Prescribed
• Sequestration/Bankruptcy
• Recommendation from Debt Collection Agency
• Management Decision/Unable to pursue
3. How many penalty charge notices were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
Year Amount Value
20/21 170 £12,955.00
19/20 38 £ 2,470.00
18/19 25 £ 1,625.00
17/18 31 £ 2,015.00
16/17 23 £ 1,495.00
Total 287 £20,560.00
The above notices were written off on the recommendation of our external debt collector.
4. How many bus lane enforcement charge notices were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
There are no bus lanes in Moray – NIL response.
5. How many Non Domestic Rates (NDR) debts were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
2016/17 - Total Number of NDR debts written off: 6;
2017/18 - Total Number of NDR debts written off: 131;
2018/19 - Total Number of NDR debts written off: 14;
2019/20 - Total Number of NDR debts written off: 44;
2020/21 - Total Number of NDR debts written off: 14.
The value of the unrecoverable/written off debts for each of the listed years.
2016/17 - Total Value of NDR debts written off: £1.37;
2017/18 - Total Value of NDR debts written off: £443,641.54;
2018/19 - Total Value of NDR debts written off: £34,642.08;
2019/20 - Total Value of NDR debts written off: £138,520.60;
2020/21 - Total Value of NDR debts written off: £17,196.55.
A breakdown of the reasons as to why the debts were written off for each of the listed years
2016/17
Write Off - Small Balance.
2017/18
Write Off - Sequestration;
Write Off - Small Balance.
2018/19
Write Off - ***;
Write Off - Small Balance.
2019/20
Write Off - Sequestration;
Write Off - Small Balance.
2020/21
Write Off - Sequestration;
Write Off - Small Balance.
6. How many housing benefit overpayment debts were deemed unrecoverable/written off in each of the listed years?
2016/17 - 56 unrecoverable, 23 written off
2017/18 - 46 unrecoverable, 19 written off
2018/19 - 62 unrecoverable, 27 written off
2019/20 - 41 unrecoverable, 66 written off
2020/21 - 21 unrecoverable, 1 written off
1. The value of the unrecoverable/written off debts for each of the listed years.
2016/17 - £1784.89 unrecoverable, £9967.26 written off
2017/18 - £8860.95 unrecoverable, £2304.04 written off
2018/19 - £26170.18 unrecoverable, £8125.53 written off
2019/20 - £7186.89 unrecoverable, £7990.48 written off
2020/21 - £6496.49 unrecoverable £117.51 written off
2. A breakdown of the reasons as to why the debts were written off for each of the listed years
2016/17 - processing error, system error, Universal Credit overlap, deceased, uneconomical to pursue, DWP error
2017/18 - processing error, system error, Universal Credit overlap, DWP error, deceased, sequestration
2018/19 - processing error, system error, Universal Credit overlap, deceased
2019/20 - processing error, system error, Universal Credit overlap, deceased, sequestration, uneconomical to pursue
2020/21 - processing error, Universal Credit overlap, sequestration.