TAX payers in South Gloucestershire owe £4.9million in unpaid Council Tax, new figures reveal.

The official statistics, published by the Department for Communities and Local Government, show that residents in the district owed £4.9million in unpaid bills as of March 31, compared to £5.2million the previous year.

The figures have prompted National Debtline, the free advice service run by the Money Advice Trust, to warn that many residents are not receiving the free advice they need to deal with tax and other debts.

Chief executive Joanna Elson said: “The level of unpaid Council Tax in South Gloucestershire remains a concern. “With people in the area now paying 3.96 per cent more in Council Tax than they were this time last year, there is a risk that residents who are already behind will find it even more difficult to resolve their financial difficulty.”

She added: “Council Tax is vital in funding the essential local services that we all rely on, and local authorities are already under significant financial pressure – so it is in everyone’s interests that arrears are repaid.

“We would urge all councils to do everything they can to ensure that residents in difficulty are signposted to free advice that will help them get back on track.

“Anyone in and around South Gloucestershire who is finding it hard to make their Council Tax payments should contact National Debtline or a local agency such as Citizens Advice as early as possible. The earlier you seek free advice, the quicker and easier the problem will be to solve.”

In April, South Gloucestershire Council agreed a Council Tax rise of nearly 3.96 per cent with the average bill for a Band D household amounting to £1,611 for 2016/17, compared to £1,550 for 2015/16.

National Debtline receives around 80 calls each year from residents in South Gloucestershire seeking advice on how to resolve their debt problems, and expects that this number could increase– with higher Council Tax bills adding to the pressure for many households who already have stretched budgets.

Go to nationaldebtline.org for free advice online.