Bankruptcy petitions and declarations

Find out what a bankruptcy petition means and what steps you need to take.

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What happens if you do not pay your Council Tax

A bankruptcy petition is an application for a bankruptcy order to be made against you. 

The petition will advise you of the amount outstanding and the date, time and location of the court hearing. You must attend the court hearing unless you have paid the debt and costs in full. 

If you own a property, the court will place a restriction on the title of your property. This means that you can’t sell or transfer your property. 

How to avoid being made bankrupt

To prevent a bankruptcy order, you must:

  1. pay the full outstanding debt, including any costs
  2. make the payment no later than the day before your court hearing
  3. provide proof of payment and details of the amount paid   
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If you’ve been made bankrupt by us or somebody else

If you have already been declared bankrupt by us  

If we have made you bankrupt, an official receiver will be appointed as the trustee of your bankruptcy.  You should:

  • contact the official receiver for all matters relating to your payments
  • refer to your bankruptcy order for the official receiver's contact details

After your bankruptcy, we will issue a new Council Tax demand in the following financial year.  You must continue to pay this, even if your bankruptcy has not been discharged, along with future Council Tax demands.  

By someone else

If you have been declared bankrupt by another party, please inform us immediately by completing the online Council Tax enquiry form.