Attachment of earnings

What is an Attachment of Earnings order? 

It is a legal document sent to your employer. It requires them to take money from your wage to pay your outstanding council tax bill. Your employer can also take an extra £1 for each deduction for their administration costs.

We can send up to 2 orders at any one time and we will issue you with a copy of each order.

Why have I received an Attachment of Earnings order? 

If you have not paid your council tax by the date shown on your bill, we will take recovery action against you. Once the Magistrates Court have granted a liability order, we can attach to your earnings.

When will deductions start? 

We ask your employer to start making deductions as soon as possible. You will need to ask them when this will be if you are unsure.

How much deduction will my employer take from my wage?  

The amount deducted is a percentage of your net pay as detailed in the tables below. To find out exactly how much the deduction from your earnings is, you will need to contact your employer.

Amount to be deducted from weekly earnings

 
Net earnings Deduction rate
below £75 no deduction taken
£75 to £135 3%
£135 to £185 5%
£185 to £225 7%
£225 to £355 12%
£355 to £505 17%
above £505 17% for the first £505 and 50% for the remainder

Amount to be deducted from monthly earnings

 
Net earnings Deduction rate
below £300 no deduction taken
£300 to £550 3%
£550 to £740 5%
£740 to £900 7%
£900 to £1,420 12%
£1,420 to £2,020 17%
above £2,020 17% for the first £2,020 and 50% for the remainder

If you have 2 attachment of earnings orders set up the amounts deducted will be different. This is because the 2nd deduction is a percentage of your net pay after the 1st deduction is taken.

Will the deductions include and overtime worked?

Yes. Your employer will use your net earnings to work out the deductions. If you work extra hours and your pay increases, the amount deducted will also increase.

If I am on sick pay, will this still include deductions?

Yes. Your employer will use your net earnings to work out the deductions. If your earnings reduce, the amount deducted will also reduce. If you know that your earnings are too low to make deductions, please contact us straight away.  

Will maternity pay include deductions?

Your employer can make deductions from contractual maternity pay. They can not make deductions from statutory maternity pay.

How much will I need to pay to clear the attachment?

Your employer will keep a record of how much you need to pay to clear the attachment order. They should stop making deductions once you have paid the amount in full. You can also view the payments made to your account by signing in or requesting to view your account online.

Log in or request to view your account online

Your wage slip will show the deduction amount for the attachment of earnings order. Your employer may apply an extra £1 administration cost on top of this.

Can I tell my employer not to make deductions? 

No. An attachment of earnings order is a legal document. Your employer must make deductions, or they may risk prosecution. Once an attachment to your wages is in force, you can't cancel this until you pay the full amount outstanding.

Can I make an alternative arrangement to pay so that my employer does not have to make deductions? 

No. Once an order is in force it will continue unless you pay the outstanding amount in full. Or unless the deductions we receive are insufficient. We will not arrange alternative payment with you at this stage. 

If you pay the balance in full you must contact us so that we can arrange to stop the order.

What if I change jobs or stop work? 

If you change jobs, you must contact us to tell us your new employment details. If you don’t tell us, we can take alternative recovery action which could result in more charges on your account.

Your employer can not make deductions from redundancy payments.

If you are no longer working, you must contact us to discuss your situation. You may qualify for further support to help you pay your bill. We can also discuss payment of the amount due to prevent further recovery action.

 Contact us

You must contact us if you are suffering severe financial hardship due to the attachment. You need to provide an offer of payment with evidence of your financial situation. The following evidence will enable us to consider an alternative payment arrangement:

  • bank statements,
  • proof of incomings and outgoings,
  • copies of bills,

You can contact us about deductions from your wages on 0191 278 7878 and ask for council tax.