StepChange Debt Charity responds to the Enforcement Conduct Board’s research into body worn video footage
29 October 2024
Following the publication of the ECB’s latest research, which analyses body worn video data from enforcement agents, StepChange Debt Charity has responded to the findings.
Recent StepChange research, which analysed the council tax collection process and within that bailiff activity, found that 91% of StepChange clients surveyed said that bailiff action negatively impacted their physical health and wellbeing, 95% said it impacted their mental health and wellbeing, and 91% said it impacted how safe they felt in their own home.
Head of Policy at StepChange, Peter Tutton, said:
“We welcome the Enforcement Conduct Board’s (ECB) new research examining bailiffs’ body worn video footage, which is an important step towards addressing poor practices within the bailiff industry, a timely piece of work as the ECB launches welcome new standards for enforcement work.
“The ECB finding that standards have been breached is significant and echoes issues that we have been raising for many years. That these breaches were not isolated to certain firms or regions, and cut across a range of standards, shows that work still needs to be done to ensure the bailiff industry is taking urgent steps to improve standards and decrease harm.
“Our recent research linked enforcement action by bailiffs to a range of concerning outcomes experienced by the most financially vulnerable households. This report adds to the existing wealth of evidence that the Enforcement Conduct Board needs to be placed on a statutory footing, to ensure its independence and longevity, but most of all, guarantee that people facing enforcement action are treated fairly and given the protections they deserve.”
Notes to Editors
- StepChange’s recent research into the council tax collection journey, titled Looking through the Keyhole, can be found here.