Attachment of earnings orders

Please use the button below to notify us that you are an employer and you have received an attachment of earnings order.

Complete the attachment of earnings order employer confirmation form

What is an attachment of earnings order?

An attachment to earnings order is issued by the council to an employer when a customer has not paid their council tax. The order can only be issued after a liability order has been granted by the Magistrates Court on the outstanding debt. The attachment to earnings order is a legal document that obligates the employer to take money direct from a customer’s wages or salary and forward the money to the council until the outstanding order is paid in full.

Employers duties and helpful information

• If you have received an order, please use the online form above to confirm whether or not the debtor is in your employment and whether you are able to commence deductions.
• Please be aware that you are obliged to administer the order in line with the guidance and regulations, these can be downloaded below
• Failure to apply the order and make deductions may result in proceedings against you which could result in a fine.
• Payments over to the council of monies deducted from the employees’ wages must be made each time a deduction is made from your employee
• You should only apply a maximum of two orders to run simultaneously at any one time.
• You must inform the council, within 14 days, if a debtor who is subject to an order has left your employment and there is still a balance to pay under the order. You can use the online form above to do this. Failure to do so may render you liable for a fine.
• You may deduct £1 per order each time a deduction is taken from an employee’s wages towards administrative costs.
• Deductions under an attachment of earnings order should be made as a percentage of net earnings. The table showing the rate at which deductions should be made is on page 17 of the guidance and regulations booklet, which you can download below. It is set by central government and is non-negotiable.