Protestors gathered outside Tottenham Town Hall earlier this week to urge the council to “give bailiffs the boot” over council tax collection.

Activists from The Association for Community Organisations for Reform Now (ACORN) Haringey gathered on Monday (May 15) as new figures showed that more than 8,000 council tax debts were passed to bailiffs in the last financial year.

One protestor held up a sign that read: “Give bailiffs the ban before they rob your nan”.

Ham & High: ACORN members protest outside Tottenham Town HallACORN members protest outside Tottenham Town Hall (Image: Ellie Whitlock)

Haringey Council, which passed on 8,184 council tax debts to bailiffs in 2022/23, has been criticised by Reuben Bard-Rosenberg, chair of ACORN Haringey, for the “violent and humiliating” practice.

It comes despite the fact the authority claims that working with residents to support those facing hardship is a “top priority”.

Anger among ACORN members has only grown in recent months, after a council officer wrongly told the group that there had been a major reduction in the use of debt collectors.

One activist at Monday’s protest held up a sign that read: “The numbers don’t add up”.

Ham & High: ACORN members protest outside Tottenham Town HallACORN members protest outside Tottenham Town Hall (Image: Ellie Whitlock)

The use of bailiffs by the council had decreased by roughly 25% since 2019/20, not by two-thirds, which was the figure given to activists in a February meeting with Cllr Seema Chandwani, who is responsible for tackling inequality and resident services.

In a statement given to this paper last week, Haringey Council said: “We have committed to work with ACORN to ensure our systems do not negatively impact on vulnerable residents and will make changes if necessary.”