Bailiff Free Britain
The council tax system is broken. It’s unfair and ineffective, with poorer homes paying disproportionately more than rich ones. And the way it’s collected isn’t just failing to help – it’s hurting people and damaging our communities.
£7 billion is owed in council tax debt in England and Wales, and that number is rising.
People already squeezed by the cost of living crisis are being trapped in a debt spiral, unable to pay and with added costs being piled on for every missed bill. An overdue £100 can quickly snowball into a £hundreds more, pushing people further into debt, and can even make someone liable for the entire year’s bill overnight.
At the same time, private bailiff companies are cashing in on the crisis and making massive profits while our communities suffer, adding stress, fear, and even more debt.
But ACORN is fighting back – campaigning for a fairer system, and dignity for our families and our communities. Together, we win! Check out the Bailiff Free Britain webpage for more.
Renters’ Rights Bill
Since we began back in 2014, a key issue that ACORN has been fighting on is the housing crisis in this country; poor quality, expensive and insecure homes. We’ve put the issue on the agenda, and taken the fight to bad landlords, letting agents and councils.
As a result of this campaigning, in April 2019 then PM Theresa May announced plans to reform private renting in England, in what was hailed as “the biggest change to the private rental sector for a generation.” ACORN got to work within the Renters Reform Coalition, and has since been campaigning to make any changes in the law as transformative and positive for renters as possible.
ACORN members have attended parliament to speak to MPs about our proposals, given evidence to committees, addressed the Institute for Government and Public Policy with our platform, and members have also met with ministers and MPs. We’ve rallied members in the constituencies of key MPs, and mobilised hundreds of ACORN members from across the country for a ‘Renters Day of Action’ at Parliament.
As of September 2025, the Renters’ Rights Bill is now entering it’s final stage in the House of Commons, and is expected to come into law later this year…
Retrofit: for the future
Retrofitting – upgrading & improving our old, cold and leaky homes – can help lower energy bills, create warm & comfortable homes and contribute to a fairer, more sustainable future.
In March 2025 the Retrofit: Fit for the Future campaign launched, of which ACORN is a part along with Fuel Poverty Action, Greener Jobs Alliance, Medact and the Peace & Justice Project. Click here to take action, read more info, and read the briefing paper which we co-authored.
Take Back Our Buses
Public transport isn’t working for the people who it should work for; us, the public. For too long, private companies have been creaming off the top, while we pay the price through high fares, poor services and slashed routes.
ACORN has been fighting to take transport out of the hands of private profiteers and return it to public ownership and control, so the people who use the services have more say over routes, fares and timetables, to benefit our communities and the environment.
So far, we’ve had wins in Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Oxford and the West Midlands, with commitments from councils to start the process of bus franchising to bring buses back into public control.
Landlord Licensing
A third of privately rented homes would fail the Decent Homes Standard and for years ACORN has used direct action to prevent revenge evictions and get repairs made to slum housing. Licensing of landlords provides some legal protection from eviction and extends council powers to inspect properties. Over the years ACORN has mobilised thousands of tenants and won major licensing schemes in Brighton, Bristol, Oxford, Newcastle and Sheffield, covering tens of thousands of renters. However there are still lots of places that are not yet covered and so we’re fighting to get these protections in place.
Our Branches in Cambridge, Leeds and Manchester are campaigning on landlord licensing now. Get in touch with them to join the campaign for proper regulation of landlords and decent living conditions for tenants.
ACORN groups and branches across England and Wales are campaigning on a range of issues, from buses to swimming pools to housing. Head to the Contact page to get in touch or to get involved, or to stay up to date with them on social media.
Check out ACORN’s Policies & Positions that inform our campaigns, set many of the demands we take to politicians, and offer the solutions needed to improve our communities and the lives of our people. These are formed through the knowledge and experience of our members, and are decided upon by our elected leaders.