CIVEA calls for Enforcement Conduct Board to uphold standards and support vulnerable people

CIVEA calls for Enforcement Conduct Board to uphold standards and support vulnerable people.

• The Enforcement Conduct Board has been established in collaboration with the civil enforcement industry and with support from the Centre for Social Justice.
• The new body will provide independent and objective oversight of civil enforcement work.
• Russell Hamblin-Boone, Chief Executive of CIVEA, welcomes the launch and looks forward to a positive working relationship.

After two years of detailed work, the Civil Enforcement Association (CIVEA) has welcomed the launch of a ground-breaking oversight body for the civil enforcement industry at the Senedd today.

CIVEA is the principal trade association that represents the civil enforcement industry in England and Wales and was instrumental in designing the blueprint for the independent Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB).

A unique partnership between the debt advice sector and the enforcement industry, with support from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), has led to the establishment of the ECB to bring independent, objective, and effective supervision against a backdrop of increasing household debt and unpaid government revenues. The Welsh Government is consulting on reforms to council tax, including improving the Council Tax Reduction Scheme which provides support to low-income households.

The consultation is timely with the ECB heralding the next step in reforms led by CIVEA members to help professionalise the enforcement industry, including raising of standards, supporting vulnerable people and establishing an independent complaints procedure to empower individuals.

Russell Hamblin-Boone, CIVEA Chief Executive commenting on the launch said:

“The enforcement sector has endured intense scrutiny in recent years, but the ECB can lift the bonnet on our industry. It is in a unique position to investigate the evidence and provide an education on the enforcement process, which will help to build a stronger reputation. With the government consulting on reforms to the council tax system, this is a timely development.

“CIVEA members are committed to working with the ECB to drive up standards and protect those struggling with problem debt. The task now is for the ECB to get up to speed on modern enforcement practices and to set in train its supervisory model.”

END

Notes for editors:

CIVEA is the principal trade association representing civil enforcement agencies employing over

1700 certificated enforcement agents that operate in England and Wales.

CIVEA represents approximately 40 companies that make up more than 95% of the entire enforcement industry. CIVEA’s members work to enforce civil debt on behalf of local authorities and Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) including council tax, business rates, road traffic and parking penalties, magistrates’ court fines, employment tribunal awards, child support payments, B2B and commercial rent arrears. This amounts to over £550 million (half a billion) of unpaid taxes and fines recovered each year at no cost to the public bodies themselves. Each year CIVEA members receive c5 million warrants and court orders for payments owed to central and local government.

The Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB) officially launches in the Welsh Parliament on November 16^th and at the House of Commons, London, on November 22^nd. The new body will provide independent and objective oversight of civil enforcement work.

Press Contact:

Joe Cuffaro, WSA Communications
Email: joe.cuffaro@wsacommunications.co.uk

Telephone: 01908 371177