Top News

shared an emotional update on social media following news that the Government has agreed to investigate what he calls a "catastrophic" debt system.

Missing just one month's payment can spiral into aggressive enforcement, with bailiffs at the door, demands for the full year's bill, and hundreds in added charges - all within weeks. Now, after sustained pressure, ministers have agreed to review the rapid escalation tactics used by local authorities, marking a significant "win" in Mr Lewis's campaign for fairer treatment of vulnerable households. In a new video post on social media platform X, the founder wrote: "Brilliant news. I'm quite emotional. The Government has agreed to investigate the Council Tax rapid debt collection escalation that is catastrophic for millions. Miss one month's payment and within six weeks you can have baliffs forcing you to pay for the year plus £100s admin charges." (sic)

He added that this should "bring hope to many" who risk being "trapped" in this position.

Addressing his 3.1 million X followers in a , Mr Lewis said: "I'm a bit teary if I'm honest - in a good way, I've just had a win that I wasn't expecting. This is all about council tax collection, which is something I've been campaigning on since last November. It is the most vicious, aggressive, and damaging form of debt collection out there.

"It is absolutely catastrophic and devastating for people's finances."

He noted that no commercial company would be allowed to act this way because they're bound by consumer duty laws, obligated to act in their customers' best interests. In contrast to local authorities' rapid escalation, he said it would typically take a business six months to a year to reach similar enforcement stages, highlighting a stark double standard in how debt is handled.

Mr Lewis continued: "So we've been fighting it, and the main this is asking them not to ask people to pay for a year if they can't afford to pay for a month. Try and signpost them to debt help and work with them so they can afford to pay."

Moving on to how he first learned of the new consultation, Mr Lewis said: "I've had meetings with senior people in Government about this before, but at around 8 o'clock, we received a statement - a right of reply - and I was expecting the usual. But at the end it said 'We will be launching a consultation'. And then we had [Labour MP] Pat McFadden on the show and he said 'yeah, we're launching a consultation this week'.

"I cannot tell you how many desperate people I have met, whose lives have been absolutely ruined by this form of debt collection. We heard someone on the show who had bailiffs to their hospital bed."

He added: "It's only a consultation, but I'm hoping that this is the start of changing things. It's something people don't talk about, but it affects millions. And suddenly, it's a campaign win out of nowhere. I'm very happy."