Enforcement agents face 16 attacks or threats every day

Enforcement agents in England and Wales face an average of 16 incidents of assault or threats of assault every day, according to a new report published today by the Civil Enforcement Association (CIVEA).

The report  finds that violence against frontline agents is escalating and is routinely dismissed as an occupational hazard. CIVEA, the trade association that represents around 1,500 certificated enforcement agents, is calling for these incidents to be treated with the same seriousness as threats to other public-facing workers.

Figures published by the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB), the sector’s independent oversight body, show that agents suffered 5,896 incidents of threats and abuse and 369 physical attacks between January and December 2025.

The report details cases including an agent who lost the sight in one eye after being ambushed by three men during a lawful visit to recover two years of unpaid council tax, and an agent in Sheffield who was threatened with having boiling water and sugar poured over him.

In another case, an agent who had been severely beaten was advised by police to call 111. The assailant admitted GBH and threats to kill, but was given only a caution and an anger management course. Earlier this year, a former police officer working as a county court bailiff was stabbed to death in Durham.

A CIVEA survey of enforcement agents found that more than half (56%) face verbal threats every week and 12% experience physical violence on a weekly basis. Just under half (45%) have suffered negative mental health impacts, and a third have considered leaving the profession as a result.
The public appears to back tougher action. More than three quarters

(77%) of people agree that assaulting an enforcement agent should be treated as seriously as assaulting other public-facing workers, and 66% want stronger legal penalties.

The report also highlights the misconceptions that persist about an industry which collects more than £1 billion of unpaid debt each year to fund local services such as schools and social care. One in five people (21%) say they form their opinions about bailiffs from television documentaries, soap operas and reality shows, while only 19% have ever had direct contact with an enforcement agent. Asked what proportion of cases result in goods being removed, the most popular answer was 41–50%. The true figure is less than 1%.

Last year, agents identified 350,000 vulnerable people who were unknown to councils and referred them to specialist support teams. They also facilitated nearly 8,000 referrals in the 12 months to March, helping people access services ranging from debt advice to mental health and housing support.

Fuelling these misperceptions, the report claims, is the inflammatory rhetoric used by some media commentators and politicians, with terms such as ‘aggressive’ contributing to a more hostile environment for workers who are already at high risk. CIVEA asserts that safe working conditions must extend to everyone who deals with members of the public, whether they are an NHS employee, retail worker or an enforcement agent carrying out the instructions of a County Court.

The report sets out practical steps for government, police and the wider sector, including greater use of Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, better training for police officers on the powers of certificated enforcement agents, a national register of assaults and threats against agents, ministerial support for a cross-sector consensus on protecting frontline staff, and more responsible and accurate commentary from the media and politicians.

Russell Hamblin-Boone, Chief Executive of CIVEA, said “Our agents are out on the doorstep enforcing court orders obtained by local authorities to protect public money from people who won’t pay, not those who can’t. Yet they are being subjected to levels of aggression that would cause outrage in any other sector.

“Inflammatory rhetoric from some commentators feeds a dangerous myth that drives this hostility. We are dealing with highly trained, regulated professionals who identify vulnerable households and signpost them to help.
“We are calling on the justice system to protect our staff. The courts must use their existing powers to ensure that those who assault enforcement agents face the full force of the law.”

The campaign is also backed by the High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA). Michael Jackson, Chair of the HCEOA, said: “This is a hugely important issue and we fully support this campaign.

“Our members, who are High Court Enforcement Officers, and the Enforcement Agents working for them face the same challenges and threats. Enforcement Agents are Officers of the Court enforcing Court Orders and deserve full protection from all forms of abuse and violence while carrying out their duties.”