GMB Union has today urged councils in the East of England to step up efforts to collect council tax and business rates, after research undertaken by the union suggests that they missed out on a staggering £197 million pounds in 2024/25.

The union has described the failure to collect this money as ‘indefensible’, given the crippling underfunding of council services that its members work in and rely on. 

According to the figures £3.4 million in council tax in Harlow went uncollected in 2024-25.

According to the figures, £1.2 million in non-domestic rates went uncollected.

The five councils with the largest amounts of uncollected revenue were:[2]

• Norwich (£8.8 million)
• Luton (£8.7 million) 
• Peterborough (£8.2 million)
• Central Bedfordshire (£8 million)
• Chelmsford (£7.2 million)

Lisa Bangs, GMB Senior Organiser, said:

“The scale of uncollected council taxes and business rates across the East of England is indefensible.

“Councils often complain of being cash-strapped, but they are owed millions of pounds and are failing to collect it.

“This is money they could use to fund overstretched public services and protect council workers’ jobs and pay.

“As the new tax year approaches, we are calling on councils to put in place more robust systems to deal with those who don’t pay and ensure they collect all they can to fund frontline services.”

YH has approached Harlow Council for comment.