to prison for non payment CT

[john drake]

I understand that a committal to prison may be enforced by magistrates for non payment of council tax
but is used more as an incentive for the debtor to pay up rather than as a punishment.
Is there a mechanism to circumvent all the lengthy preamble before getting to the committal stage by
declaring one's desire or preference for a prison sentence as a matter of choice, by default as it were.
I further understand that the maximum prison term is set at 90 days. What happens on the expiry of the
90 days ? Could the prison sentence be increased ? My circumstances are such that I do not own anything,
am an OAP and my rent is paid for by others. I couple this scenario with a claim by HMRC for an enormous
amount of money. They too make mention that one may go to prison for non payment. When I confronted
them about the prison option they refused to engage and terminated the call.

Important to note also that although I am penniless I do have food and eat everyday albeit in small amounts.

[Roger]

I understand that a committal to prison may be enforced by magistrates for non payment of council tax
but is used more as an incentive for the debtor to pay up rather than as a punishment.
Is there a mechanism to circumvent all the lengthy preamble before getting to the committal stage by
declaring one's desire or preference for a prison sentence as a matter of choice, by default as it were.
I further understand that the maximum prison term is set at 90 days. What happens on the expiry of the
90 days ? Could the prison sentence be increased ? My circumstances are such that I do not own anything,
am an OAP and my rent is paid for by others. I couple this scenario with a claim by HMRC for an enormous
amount of money. They too make mention that one may go to prison for non payment. When I confronted
them about the prison option they refused to engage and terminated the call.

Important to note also that although I am penniless I do have food and eat everyday albeit in small amounts.

With todays Pandemic in some countries prisoners are being released because the threat of cronovirus.
An OAP in particular will be a high risk and are being in any event advised to self isolate for what 12 weeks.

No money and penniless at least with a place to live albeit paid for by others.
It would seem beyond madness to attempt to enforce a debt!

In your Case I would write to your local MP and send a copy to HRMC and your local Council Office!!

[Roger]

The Pandemic and various help schemes are about your/and my life NOT about paying off BAD DEBTS.
Bad Debts are the bottom of the priority list! Right now I wouldn't pay a DCA a penny they knowingly have brought a turd!

Our world has dramatically changed and we are in survival mode and this is where the government and our priorities lies!

Hence if some idiot turns up on your doorstep , carrying whatever virus from door to door! report them to the Police because their actions are endangering lives and the NHS etc..

Hence writing to your MP because there are emergency laws being passed precisely to save lives.

[Warwick65]

At the moment I would have hoped this was not a priority but sadly bureaucracy rolls on whatever is happening around you.

If you have no income and I assume no savings you should be making a claim for both Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit and pension credit. As for the debts, just what sort of figure are we talking about?

There are ways of getting rid of these such as a Debt Relief Order, or even bankruptcy if the debts are large enough. I also understand that HMRC sometimes petition for bankruptcy which saves you the cost.