Council Tax collection rates: April 2020 to March 2021

Main points

• In 2020-21, billing authorities collected 95.7% of council tax billed, a decrease of 1.3 percentage points.
• All authorities recorded a year-on-year decrease in their collection rate in 2020-21 mainly due to the suspension of debt recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Neath Port Talbot recorded the highest in-year collection rate at 97.5% whilst Blaenau Gwent recorded the lowest at 91.0%.
• The amount actually collected in respect of 2020-21 bills, excluding council tax reduction scheme, was £1,731 million out of £1,808 million collectable.
• During 2020-21, billing authorities collected £22 million of arrears and wrote off £4 million as uncollectable. The amounts written off are much lower than in previous years.
• The total amount outstanding at 31 March 2021 was £157 million, of which £77 million was in-year arrears.