BRITAIN’S “broken” council tax system saw at least 1.5 million people taken to court over unpaid debt last year, a GMB investigation has revealed.

The findings will be discussed as part of the union’s Local Government special report being delivered at its annual conference in Blackpool today.

A total of 1,430,726 people were summoned to court in the financial year 2024-25, the GMB found.

It sent freedom of information requests to every local authority with responsibility for collecting council tax in Britain.

Almost 200 replied within the statutory deadline, but the true number is likely to be “far higher,” said the union, as many authorities did not answer.

The investigation also found that at least 4.5m accounts are in council tax arrears, 3.2m have had debt management proceedings launched against them and £4.6 billion is owed to councils in unpaid council tax.

GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison said: “These horrifying figures show our council tax system is completely broken

“Not only is the banding system woefully out of date, but forcing cash-strapped councils to pursue one-and-a-half-million people through the courts just to make ends meet can’t be the right way to do business.

“Austerity left deep scars on all our public services, which will last a generation or more.

“Meanwhile, the lack of authority funding often means low pay for the people we rely on to look after our loved ones, to take our rubbish, to keep our towns and cities running.”

She called for more guaranteed central government funding, council tax reform “so the richest pay their share,” and business rates changes aimed at regenerating High Streets.