Decision to consult on regulating the bailiff industry a welcome step forward says UK’s largest debt charity
9 June 2025
Today the Government has announced in a Written Ministerial Statement that the Ministry of Justice will be consulting on how to implement regulation of the bailiff sector.
StepChange Debt Charity is encouraged to see Government consult an independent statutory regulator which would better protect vulnerable people, enhance consumer protection, strengthen accountability and improve standards. This decision marks a significant step forward following years of campaigning and engagement by StepChange, alongside the Taking Control coalition, to bring bailiff activity under closer scrutiny.
Research over the past decade has repeatedly found evidence of poor practice, intimidating behaviour and misrepresentation of powers by enforcement agents – and StepChange research shows that 95% of clients who experienced bailiff action said it negatively impacted their mental health and wellbeing.
Reacting to the news, Vikki Brownridge, Chief Executive Officer at StepChange, said:
“The Government’s announcement that it will consult on how to regulate the bailiff industry is a welcome step forward following over a decade of StepChange advocacy and campaigning work. Whilst the voluntary Enforcement Conduct Board has made progress in this area, we continue to call for it to be placed on a statutory footing by the Ministry of Justice.
“We are ready to use our insight from supporting people through debt advice and financial difficulty over the last three decades to work with the Government and sector to ensure that the consultation, and crucially, implementation of statutory regulation of the bailiff industry is a success, ensuring an effective and proportionate regulator.”
Notes to Editors
- The Ministry of Justice consultation can be viewed here.
- StepChange’s recent research analysing enforcement action and council tax arrears, Looking through the keyhole, can be viewed here.
- StepChange has been campaigning on regulation of the enforcement sector for well over a decade. In recent years the charity has:
- a. Responded to a Ministry of Justice consultation on bailiff reform alongside the Taking Control coalition.
- b. Joined the working group which developed the framework for the Enforcement Conduct Board, the voluntary body responsible for the oversight of the sector.
- c. Fed into the ECB consultation on standards.
- d. Launched a report, Looking through the keyhole, which explores client experiences of enforcement action and council tax debt collection.