Think tank the Centre for Social Justice has worked with the debt advice sector and enforcement industry to reach a consensus on plans for a new independent oversight body to protect people in debt.
The Taking Control group of advice agencies and other charities, set up in 2016 to campaign for bailiff reform, has collectively welcomed the proposals:
In a joint statement, the Taking Control group of advice agencies and charities said:
“As a group of debt advice and other organisations supporting people in financial difficulty, we still see far too many examples of bailiffs breaking the rules, treating people unfairly and failing to take vulnerability into account.
“Though it falls short of the full statutory regulation we’ve called for, these proposals are an important opportunity to raise standards and protect people in financial difficulty from unfair practices.
“Government must now step up and deliver more than just words of support for the Enforcement Conduct Authority. This means giving the ECA the authority and tools it needs to set and enforce standards and deliver its mandate to ensure people affected by enforcement action are treated fairly.”
Read the Centre for Social Justice report here.