New data reported by the Daily Mail says council tax debt has reached £9.3 billion, reflecting arrears building as households struggle with rising living costs. The report links the increase to higher council tax bills that come into effect from April this year, affecting millions of households. As bills rise, more residents fall behind on payments, leading to an overall increase in outstanding arrears. The coverage frames the latest figures as evidence of growing payment pressure on local government finances at the household level, though it does not attribute the trend to a single cause beyond the affordability impact of higher costs and bill increases from April. The report emphasizes that the scale of the debt—£9.3bn—signals a substantial stock of unpaid council tax, rather than only short-term late payments. Overall, the sources agree that higher bills and financial strain are coinciding with an upward movement in arrears, resulting in a record or near-record level of council tax debt.