Apology over Christmas bill 'distress' after error

Sheffield City Council has apologised to a man who was ordered to pay a large tax arrears bill shortly before Christmas after a council error.

The local authority miscalculated the unidentified resident's council tax in 2020 then sent him the bill three year later after it "realised its mistakes", a Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman report said.

The error had caused him "avoidable distress and worry", it added, with the issue exacerbated by the timing of the arrears bill.

Sheffield City Council agreed to pay him a "symbolic payment" of £200 and would review how it informed people of their rights to appeal.

When the man applied for Council Tax Reduction (CTR) in 2020 the authority incorrectly recorded his income and reduced his bill by more than he was entitled to.

The council realised there was a mistake in 2023 and "reversed the amount of CTR it awarded", the report said, meaning he owed several years' worth of payments.

The council sent notices to him "a few weeks" before Christmas, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, with the man challenging the decision.

In 2024, the council wrote off the balances for 2020/21 and 2021/22 but said the arrears for more recent years were still payable.

It told him he could complain again, but did not inform him of his right to appeal to a tribunal - a move it later accepted as wrong.

During the process, the man agreed to pay a sum in early 2024.

The report states: "The council apologised for the distress and frustration caused by the notices and difficulties contacting it about the matter.

"Given the impact the matter had on [his] ability to enjoy the Christmas holidays, my view is that an apology is not a sufficient remedy on its own."

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