Require Local Authorities to Offer Payment Plans for Parking Penalty Charge Notices (PCN)
The Issue
This petition seeks to reform a process that can unfairly penalise individuals who are willing to pay but cannot afford a single lump sum. Under the current system, a missed communication or a change in circumstances can lead to severe and disproportionate financial consequences.
The Problem: A Rigid System Leading to Unnecessary Escalation
Currently, if you receive a parking fine (a Penalty Charge Notice or PCN), you have 28 days to pay. If you pay within the first 14 days, you typically receive a 50% discount.
If the fine is not paid within 28 days, the local authority can issue a Charge Certificate, increasing the penalty by 50%. If this higher amount remains unpaid after another 14 days, the authority can register the debt as a court order. It is at this stage that bailiffs (enforcement agents) can be instructed to collect the debt, adding substantial fixed fees on top of the original amount.
While individuals can speak to a bailiff about a payment plan upon their visit, the bailiff is not obligated to accept it. This process can turn an initial £70 fine into a debt of several hundred pounds very quickly.
The Proposed Solution: Mandatory, Affordable Payment Plans
This petition proposes a simple, fair change: before a PCN debt is passed to bailiffs, local authorities must be required by law to offer a formal payment plan option to anyone who requests it and cannot pay in full. This system would:
Prevent Debt Spiral: Stop manageable fines from escalating due to added court and bailiff fees.
Promote Responsible Payment: Ensure people who are willing to pay can do so sustainably.
Reduce Administrative Burden: Free local authority and court resources from processing avoidable enforcement cases.
Sign this petition to protect anyone from a parking fine snowballing into an unmanageable debt.
A simple, honest mistake like missing a letter after moving house can turn a £60 parking fine into a £495 debt once bailiff fees are added. The current system is too rigid and punishes people who are willing to pay but simply can't afford a large lump sum.
Signing this petition calls for common-sense fairness. It asks for a simple rule: if you can't pay a parking fine in full, your local council must accept a reasonable payment plan **before** destructive bailiff fees are added. This prevents financial hardship, keeps people out of unnecessary debt, and is a more sensible approach for everyone.
Add your name to demand a fairer system that collects debts without crushing people.
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The Issue
This petition seeks to reform a process that can unfairly penalise individuals who are willing to pay but cannot afford a single lump sum. Under the current system, a missed communication or a change in circumstances can lead to severe and disproportionate financial consequences.
The Problem: A Rigid System Leading to Unnecessary Escalation
Currently, if you receive a parking fine (a Penalty Charge Notice or PCN), you have 28 days to pay. If you pay within the first 14 days, you typically receive a 50% discount.
If the fine is not paid within 28 days, the local authority can issue a Charge Certificate, increasing the penalty by 50%. If this higher amount remains unpaid after another 14 days, the authority can register the debt as a court order. It is at this stage that bailiffs (enforcement agents) can be instructed to collect the debt, adding substantial fixed fees on top of the original amount.
While individuals can speak to a bailiff about a payment plan upon their visit, the bailiff is not obligated to accept it. This process can turn an initial £70 fine into a debt of several hundred pounds very quickly.
The Proposed Solution: Mandatory, Affordable Payment Plans
This petition proposes a simple, fair change: before a PCN debt is passed to bailiffs, local authorities must be required by law to offer a formal payment plan option to anyone who requests it and cannot pay in full. This system would:
Prevent Debt Spiral: Stop manageable fines from escalating due to added court and bailiff fees.
Promote Responsible Payment: Ensure people who are willing to pay can do so sustainably.
Reduce Administrative Burden: Free local authority and court resources from processing avoidable enforcement cases.
Sign this petition to protect anyone from a parking fine snowballing into an unmanageable debt.
A simple, honest mistake like missing a letter after moving house can turn a £60 parking fine into a £495 debt once bailiff fees are added. The current system is too rigid and punishes people who are willing to pay but simply can't afford a large lump sum.
Signing this petition calls for common-sense fairness. It asks for a simple rule: if you can't pay a parking fine in full, your local council must accept a reasonable payment plan **before** destructive bailiff fees are added. This prevents financial hardship, keeps people out of unnecessary debt, and is a more sensible approach for everyone.
Add your name to demand a fairer system that collects debts without crushing people.
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Petition created on 2 January 2026