Durham County Council has postponed debt recovery as part of its measures to help people during the coronavirus outbreak.
The authority is to postpone debt recovery action for anyone in council tax or business arrears, as part of the support it is offering people during the covid-19 pandemic.
Further resources have also been ploughed into its welfare assistance scheme to support people in difficulty.
Residents are being encouraged to seek financial assistance through the authority’s council tax reduction scheme, the only such scheme in the North East to offer reductions of up to 100%.
Residents are also being urged to get in touch if they need to rearrange their council tax payments for the coming year, with the authority offering a range of flexible payment plans, including the ability to spread the cost of council tax evenly over 12 months or starting payments from June instead of April.
The council says it has been closely monitoring the continuously emerging government guidance in relation to coronavirus, and national announcements of a range of financial measures designed to support businesses and residents.
These measures include offering a three-month mortgage holiday for those in need, reimbursing small and medium-sized companies for the cost of statutory sick pay, supplying vouchers for children who currently receive free school meals when schools close, and continuing to fund free childcare entitlements for two, three and four year olds.
Any residents who are struggling or worried about their council tax position can find out about the support available by visiting the authority’s website.
They can also contact the council’s customer services team for assistance by emailing help@durham.gov.uk
