AQW 52639/22-27

Mr Peter McReynolds
Alliance Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 22/09/2026
Answered On Date: 12/10/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance to detail (i) the age of outstanding ratepayer debt; (ii) the value outstanding; and (iii) any target that exists for reducing debt outstanding for more than three years.

Answer:

(i) & (ii) Land & Property Services (LPS) carried forward £180,905,782 of unpaid rates into the 2026-27 rating year. Since 1 April Land & Property Services has reduced this by almost £50 million.

Of the £131.0 million or carried forward unpaid rates remaining at 4th October 2026:

£52.6 million is moving through legal recovery channels with £64.4 million being examined for potential legal action within the current rating year; and

£14.0 million is the subject of an active payment plan.

(iii) LPS makes strenuous efforts to recover all outstanding debt regardless of age which is reflected in the target set which is to reduce the total carried forward rates balance by 50%.