The scale being applied
For council tax, parking and traffic penalties, court fines and county court warrants there are three stages. Each has a fixed fee, and two of them carry a percentage on larger debts.
- Compliance stage: £79, added when the enforcement firm sends the Notice of Enforcement.
- Enforcement stage: £247, added when an agent first attends, plus 7.5% of any part of the debt above £1,900.
- Sale or disposal stage: £116, added if goods are removed for sale, plus the same 7.5% again.
The regulations round the percentage up: “any fraction of £1 is to be reckoned as £1”.
Standard scale: six examples
| Debt | Compliance | Enforcement | Sale | Total after a visit | Total if goods are sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £500 | £79 | £247 | £116 | £826 | £942 |
| £1,000 | £79 | £247 | £116 | £1,326 | £1,442 |
| £2,000 | £79 | £255 | £124 | £2,334 | £2,458 |
| £3,000 | £79 | £330 | £199 | £3,409 | £3,608 |
| £5,000 | £79 | £480 | £349 | £5,559 | £5,908 |
| £10,000 | £79 | £855 | £724 | £10,934 | £11,658 |
On a £2,000 debt, £100 sits above the £1,900 threshold. 7.5% of that is £7.5, which rounds up to £8. The enforcement fee is therefore £247 plus £8, or £255.
On a £5,000 debt, £3,100 is above the threshold, and 7.5% of it is £233. That amount is added at the enforcement stage and again at the sale stage.
What the fees are as a share of the debt
The fixed fees do not scale with the debt, so they weigh most heavily on small ones. A visit adds £326 to a £500 debt, which is 65% of the amount originally owed. The same visit adds £559 to a £5,000 debt, or 11%.
Before and after the change
The fixed fees rose on 1 May 2026, but the point at which the percentage starts also moved, from £1,500 to £1,900. On some mid-sized debts the new scale adds less than the one before 1 May 2026 did.
| Debt | Fees after a visit, before 1 May 2026 | Fees after a visit, now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| £1,000 | £310 | £326 | £16 more |
| £1,800 | £333 | £326 | £7 less |
| £2,500 | £385 | £371 | £14 less |
| £5,000 | £573 | £559 | £14 less |
The earlier scale still applies to enforcement that began before 1 May 2026. What changed in 2026
Rather talk it through with someone? Request a call
High Court writs
High Court enforcement has four stages and higher figures: £79, £200, £520 and £550, with 7.5% of the debt above £1,200 added at the first enforcement stage and at the sale stage.
| Debt | Fees if the first stage ends it | Fees if the second stage is reached | Fees if goods are sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| £1,000 | £279 | £799 | £1,349 |
| £5,000 | £564 | £1,084 | £1,919 |
| £20,000 | £1,689 | £2,209 | £4,169 |
High Court enforcement officers
Several debts with the same firm
Where one firm holds more than one debt against the same person and they can be dealt with together, a compliance fee is charged for each debt, the other fixed fees are charged once, and the percentage is worked out on the combined total. Two council tax liability orders of £800 each would carry £158 in compliance fees and a single £247 enforcement fee.
Any amount can be worked through with the bailiff fees calculator.
Common questions
How much do bailiffs add to a £1,000 debt?
£79 when the notice is sent and £247 on a first visit, making £1,326 in all. If goods are removed for sale a further £116 is added.
When does the 7.5% apply?
Only to the part of a debt above £1,900 on the standard scale, or above £1,200 under a High Court writ. A debt at or below the threshold attracts no percentage.
Is VAT added to bailiff fees?
Not where the creditor is VAT registered, which includes councils. Where the creditor is not VAT registered, a sum equivalent to VAT can be added.
Want to talk it through with someone?
Tell us where things are up to and one of our team will call to talk it through. A debt adviser then explains the options. There is no obligation to go any further.
Speak to someone now on 0161 660 0876
We do not charge for speaking to you. If you choose a debt solution, you are referred to one of our trusted debt solution providers, and we receive a fee if you enter into an agreement with one of them. A debt solution may have fees, which are explained before anything is agreed.
Free debt advice is available
These organisations give free, impartial debt advice and are independent of Bailiff Support Team. Nobody has to use a paid or commercial service to get help with their debts, and using one of the free services does not reduce the options available. Their advisers can also ask an enforcement firm to extend a notice period or apply for Breathing Space where it fits.
- MoneyHelperGovernment-backed. Finds a free debt adviser nearby or online.
- StepChange Debt CharityFree debt advice online and by phone.
- Citizens AdviceDetailed help with bailiffs, online and in person.
- National DebtlineFree advice and sample letters, run by the Money Advice Trust.
Sources
- Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014, Schedule (fee tables)
- Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 (as amended)
- Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014, regulation 11 (more than one enforcement power)
- Taking Control of Goods (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/366)