Colin Trend

@McnabGareth Good shout Gareth. This fight has been on since the Poll Tax at least and even I was a student then, so not involved at that point. Multiple debt advisers, debt advice agencies as well as wider agencies have been championing this change. Grateful for all of those voices.

I’m pleased at the news about changes to council tax collection. I’m disappointed at the points scoring as to who had what impact. The truth is it’s a hard won collective success fought for by more folk & for longer than is being touted. AITI for expecting better?

@GavinVaughan @MartinSLewis @mmhpi Not every Council promotes the fact that anyone can repay over 12 months (if at the start of a full financial year). It can help with budgetting so it is good that you mention this so that others are aware.

@MartinSLewis @mmhpi I’m with the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales and I moved to a new property and the council said that it takes up to 2 months for them to arrange and set up a new account. Then spread payments over the remaining year. New council tax comes through and I asked for payments over 12 month

NEWS! The govt has just announced its changing the Council Tax Debt Collection rules on the back of @mmhpi recommendations. Here's my official quote ----- Council Tax debt collection is so aggressive it’d make banks blush. It’s the most vicious and damaging form of legal debt collection out there - causing counterproductive misery for millions. We’ve spent the last 18 months campaigning hard to change this hideous system, and having seen so much pain caused by it, I’m genuinely moved by this huge first step towards making things better. Currently, in England, if you miss a monthly payment, many councils, within usually 3 weeks, demand payment for the entire year. How people who can’t find a month’s money are expected to find a year’s I don’t know. Yet if they can’t pay, within just three more weeks, they are often taken to court, have ‘admin costs’ added, and soon see bailiffs sent in. No commercial firm would be allowed to do anything close - constituents are treated worse than customers. The new rule from next April means councils must wait two months, not 3 weeks, to ask for a year’s money, and the ‘admin costs’ will be capped at £100. In a perfect world, it would be even longer and the lower cap would apply, but this is still a hugely welcome change to a 33-year-old process. For councils too, it is worth remembering that this grotesque system is often catastrophic for people’s finances and wellbeing, leaving many needing more help and support, and ultimately the same council having to pick up the pieces.

@Redimp84 @MartinSLewis @mmhpi It's good to call them as you suggest, but Councils behave very differently. It sounds as if Manchester are very progressive, but others have been the opposite, creating a debt spiral for many with further psychological distress.

@MartinSLewis @mmhpi The thing is if you are aware you can't pay if you phone in before you receive a letter they make it very easy to put a payment plan in place. Had this happen twice in my life both Manchester city council and Linc's council were very accommodating.

@AytonKelsa @MartinSLewis @mmhpi They can, if you are in work and earn over a minimum amount.

@MartinSLewis @mmhpi Can they still put attachments to earnings as they did this to me took 100 pounds more, than when the debt was paid and it took months to get it taken of my earnings and they ended up owing me money again took months to pay back to me. It's a joke

I couldn't have put this better myself @MartinSLewis Great progress for all consumers including those with mental health challenges. However, the process used here re Council Tax is not dis-similar to parking fines where Councils use very similar tactics.

@CarlBovisNature Beautiful. Thank you :)

If you see this photo of a Stoat in mid-air, please leave a comment. 🥰 Have you ever seen a Stoat? 😊

@paullewismoney @paullewismoney it does matter. Gina and others like her will have less disposable income at every stage and choice in life. It will affect the car she can choose to buy, the house that she can afford to rent, put back the day she can buy her own home and many other choices.

It’s psychologically horrible to have such a debt. But it doesn’t matter. She’ll never pay off her loan. She’ll pay extra 9% income tax above Plan 2 threshold, £29,385 from April, which will mean less disposable income, but after 30 years, however massive, debt will disappear.

@RyanDavey284 @BBCRadio4 @wealtherty @RyanDavey284 yes, it would be good to have a catch up at some point if you have the time. Drop me an email if you like :)

@ColinTrend @BBCRadio4 @wealtherty Thank you Colin! Hope you are keeping well

Chatted to Laurie Taylor and Sarah Kerr on @BBCRadio4 #ThinkingAllowed yesterday about the personal life of debt and its connection to wider structures of inequality. Listen here: bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00… @wealtherty

@pdmcmanus @AmesTaylor_DA Historically I would completely agree, which is why I was concerned when they started to use the High Court.

@AmesTaylor_DA @ColinTrend They are one of the more helpful water companies in my experience, pre-court, and they have been willing to negotiate with clients for a long while, but once its at judgment and it's over £600 it seems a given they'll go for bailiffs.

@AmesTaylor_DA It probably comes down to how you measure success. Hopefully not by creating a spiralling debt for people - it would be a huge concern that this is an actual outcome for many. It's time to rethink this as you say...

@pdmcmanus @ColinTrend I’d love to see bailiffs banned for personal debt full stop. Especially when it’s in pursuit of debt incurred to obtain a basic necessity of life! I wonder how successful recovery via these methods actually is?

@kellyjohnsonhas @konstructivizm It's one light day (the signal takes about 24 hours to reach the Earth) not one light year. It shows how vast space is and how small humanity is. The Voyager project will die (battery will run out) before I pass away, yet it will reach nowhere else.

@konstructivizm It has moved almost 1 light year but not quite, in 47 years.

Right now, more than 24 billion kilometers from Earth, a tiny spacecraft is drifting through the darkness—Voyager 1, the most distant object we've ever sent into space. Launched in 1977, it's been traveling for nearly half a century, carrying with it a golden record filled with Earth’s sights, sounds, and greetings—just in case it meets intelligent life. No spacecraft has ever gone farther. No signal takes longer to reach us—over 22 hours just for a one-way message. Yet it still speaks to us. Voyager 1 is a silent witness to the vast unknown… a lonely ambassador of humanity, moving deeper into the stars. Just imagine: something we built is out there… forever exploring.

@Cryptoinsightuk @RachelReevesMP @LucyRigby I can't help but notice that this graph starts in 1209. I think you should carefully consider the data you use before making specific arguments as this doesn't support your point at all.

@RachelReevesMP @LucyRigby How can you say this is a vote of confidence when the pound has decreased in strength this much over time?

The FTSE 100 breaking through 10,000 points for the first time is a vote of confidence in Britain’s economy and a strong start to 2026.

@AmesTaylor_DA I see we're back to three word slogans once more: "gaming the system". It is neither helpful or accurate when talking about complex mental health issues (as noted by 'we've all felt like that') or the existing assessment of a disability benefit. Can we have adult debate please.

Reform reveals their colossal ignorance about how PIP is assessed and awarded. Their Motability knowledge is similarly lacking. Does this group rely on Grok to draft their policies??

@AmesTaylor_DA This is a disgrace - from a sitting MP!

This is such blatant rubbish. Misinformation on steroids. What does she hope to gain? Helen, please try applying for PIP mobility component on the basis of having acne. Explain how you will score points under the mobility descriptors. Shame on you.

@AmesTaylor_DA .... further change is required. The cost to individuals and to society is too great and it can have unexpected consequences including being politicised by media and other influential people. Once skewed those who face the biggest challenges become the focus of more inequality.

@AmesTaylor_DA I still have huge concerns about the concept and application of "wilful refusal". I recognise that the consultation was narrower than some of what I state. However, I think we still need to be clear about what is right and point out the bigger picture about why and where ...

I’ve suggested that the court system (and bailiffs) should only be engaged when there is evidence of wilful refusal to pay… Otherwise, councils should be offering support to people who are struggling financially. That’s 4.5 million people or around 16% of us. We can do that.

@AmesTaylor_DA Other creditors don't use imprisonment after determining 'wilful refusal' so I don't think it should have a place in C Tax collections either. We must be more helpful in offering genuine support and if sanctions exist, they should point the individual towards better outcomes.

@AmesTaylor_DA ...the person in authority can misunderstand the other person and be prone to pigeon hole them into systems that exist. In the context of C Tax this can result in prison. Personally, I don't think this should be on the menu for C Tax payers due to the risk of a poor outcome.