New policy announcement: Cabinet agrees fairer approach to debt recovery
Lewes District Council's Cabinet has today (June 18) approved a strengthened and more consistent approach to how the council manages money owed to it, with a clear focus on supporting residents and businesses who may be facing financial pressures.
Councillor Christine Robinson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, said:
"People must be treated fairly, consistently and with compassion, especially when they are experiencing financial difficulty.
"Our new policy makes clear that we will always try to work with residents early, understand their circumstances and find solutions that prevent debt from escalating."
Covering council tax, rents, business rates, housing benefit overpayments and other debts owed to the council, the policy ensures that residents and businesses are treated in a consistent way regardless of the type of debt involved. It also sets out clear expectations for customers to contact the council early if they are struggling to pay, enabling officers to take a holistic and proportionate approach to recovery.
A recent public consultation showed strong support for the policy's principles, particularly its focus on early intervention and prevention. By identifying financial difficulty sooner, the council aims to reduce the risk of debts spiralling, avoid unnecessary enforcement action and support better long‑term outcomes for residents.
Councillor Robinson added:
"We know that most people want to pay what they owe, but life can be unpredictable.
"By intervening early and recognising vulnerability, we can prevent crises, protect households from avoidable hardship and still meet our responsibility to collect public money.
"This is a balanced, fair and practical approach."
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