WEYMOUTH and Portland Borough Council instructed bailiffs to collected debts on more than 1,500 occasions in the last financial year, new figures have claimed.

The figure, which represents an increase of 14 per cent over a two-year period, was revealed following research by the Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline.

It says it shows more needs to be done to help those in financial difficulty at an earlier stage.

The council claims the figure is incorrect and is actually less than 1,000.

The charity's Stop the Knock campaign is highlighting the fact that councils in England and Wales instructed bailiffs 2.1million times for debts including council tax, parking, business rates and other arrears – an increase of 16 percent on two years ago.

The figures for West Dorset District Council showed bailiffs were instructed 747 times to collect debts owed by individuals and businesses during 2014/15, a decrease of eight per cent in the two years, and the authority ended the year with £3.4million in unpaid council tax arrears.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, which instructed 1,592 bailiff visits according to National Debtline, had an unpaid council tax bill of £4.3million.

The findings rank Weymouth and Portland at 165th out of 326 local authorities in Weymouth for bailiff use while West Dorset is at 304.

National Debtline is calling for bailiffs, now known legally as enforcement agents, to be used only as a last resort, with a greater focus on preventative work and early detection and intervention where residents and businesses fall behind with payments.

Last year National Debtline provided free, independent advice to 109 residents in Weymouth and Portland and 77 in the West Dorset area.

Joanna Elson OBE, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, said: "Local councils are facing significant funding pressures – and they of course have have a duty to collect what they are owed.

"In the case of council tax this is crucial in ensuring proper funding for the services that local people rely on.

"I would like to congratulate West Dorset District Council on making some progress in reducing its reliance on bailiffs for debt collection over the last two years.

"The council’s use of bailiffs, however, remains too high.

"On the front line of debt advice we know that sending the bailiffs in can deepen debt problems, rather than solve them – and it can also have a severe impact on the wellbeing of people who are often already in a vulnerable situation."

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council claims that during 2014/15 it only instructed bailiffs 933 times to collect debts owed by 571 individuals and businesses.

Cllr Ian Bruce, chairman of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's management committee, said: “The majority of council taxpayers and ratepayers pay their debt in full and on time.

"However, we recognise that some customers will encounter difficulties and will get into arrears. We have good relationships with the Citizens’ Advice Bureaux and work with them and those experiencing difficulties to see if we can agree an arrangement to pay back their debt in instalments.

"Enforcement agents are only used as a last resort. Wherever possible we will look to use the different recovery methods available to us, such as making attachments to their wages or benefits."

Anyone who is struggling to cope with council tax arrears or any other kind of debt can seek free advice from National Debtline at nationaldebtline.org or by phoning 0808 808 4000.