This Commons Library briefing paper summarises the regulation of enforcement agents (formerly known as bailiffs) and answers commonly asked questions about “bailiff" action.
Enforcement officers (formerly known as bailiffs) (702 KB , PDF)
Instructing an enforcement agent (still commonly referred to as a bailiff) is one method of civil debt enforcement. Different enforcement agents are used to collect different types of unpaid debt on behalf of creditors (including local authorities, government departments and private individuals). Some enforcement agents are officers of the court, others are self-employed, some are employees of a private debt collection company. The rules governing the regulation of bailiffs were completely overhauled on 6 April 2014.
This Library paper is predominantly concerned with civil enforcement in England and Wales It provides an outline of the different types of enforcement agents and their regulation. It also provides information on the recent Ministry of Justice review of the regulatory regime and the separate Justice Committee inquiry. Importantly, this Paper attempts to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about “bailiff” action.
It is important to stress that if an enforcement agent has already notified a debtor of their intention to visit their home, the debtor should seek proper legal advice as a matter of urgency. An outline of sources of advice is provided in Section 5 of this paper. A separate Library briefing paper, Legal help: where to go and how to pay (CBP3207), may also be of interest.
Enforcement officers (formerly known as bailiffs) (702 KB , PDF)
This briefing paper looks at Hate Crime in England & Wales using figures provided by the Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) and the Police Recorded Crime Series. The paper also presents data on hate crime rates per 100,000 population in each police force area and for each hate crime strand. It also looks at similar figures in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The tables that accompany the briefing paper are currently being updated.
This Commons Library briefing paper deals with the Registers of Births and Deaths Bill 2021-22, a Private Member's Bill introduced by Saqib Bhatti. The intention of the Bill is to reform the way in which births and deaths are registered in England and Wales
On Thursday 25th November, MPs will hold a general debate in the Chamber on freedom of religion or belief and the 40th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the elimination of religious intolerance.
