What bailiffs can and cannot take (England & Wales)
The list of protected belongings is set by law, not by the bailiff. The Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013 (regulations 4 and 5) define "exempt goods" that an enforcement agent may not take control of. We checked the Regulations directly at source on 2026-10-09.
Work and study items — protected up to £1,350
Items or equipment — for example tools, books, telephones, computer equipment and vehicles — that are necessary for your employment, business, trade, profession, study or education are exempt, as long as their aggregate value does not exceed £1,350. Above that cap the protection stops, so the detail matters.
There is a carve-out: the work-items exemption does not apply to certain council tax and statutory debts (enforcement under section 62A of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and three other enactments). If your debt is a council tax debt, ask a free adviser to check which exemption rules apply.
Basic domestic needs — protected
Regulation 4(1)(b) protects clothing, bedding, furniture, household equipment and provisions reasonably required for the basic domestic needs of you and everyone in your household. The list "includes (but is not restricted to)":
- a cooker or microwave, and a refrigerator
- a washing machine
- a dining table large enough — and enough chairs — for the whole household
- beds and bedding for every member of the household
- one landline telephone (or, if none, a mobile or internet phone usable by the household)
- items reasonably required for medical care, safety in the home, or security of the home (for example an alarm system)
- lamps, stoves or other appliances providing basic heating and lighting
- items reasonably required to care for a child under 18, a disabled person, or an older person
Other protected property
- Pets and working dogs: assistance dogs (guide dogs, hearing dogs, dogs for disabled persons), sheep dogs, guard dogs and domestic pets are exempt.
- Blue Badge vehicles: a vehicle displaying a valid disabled person's badge that is used for carrying a disabled person is exempt.
- Emergency vehicles: vehicles used (or reasonably believed to be used) for police, fire or ambulance purposes are exempt.
- Health emergency badge vehicles: a vehicle showing a valid British Medical Association or other health emergency badge, used for health emergency purposes, is exempt.
- Homes that count as goods: if the "goods" are also where someone lives as their only or principal home — a houseboat or mobile home, for example — they are exempt under regulation 5.
What happens if you have nothing of value
This is one of the most common questions people search, and the honest answer has two parts.
First, bailiffs cannot take exempt goods. If everything you own falls into the categories above, there is nothing they can lawfully control.
Second, the debt and the fees do not disappear. Fees are charged by stage of enforcement, not by whether anything was taken — see our fee tables and use the fee checker to see what each stage costs. If you are at the point where enforcement is happening and you have nothing of value, the practical moves are a payment arrangement with the creditor, a breathing space application through a debt adviser, or the vulnerability route — all explained in our guides.
Check any vehicle carefully
Vehicles are where most disputes start. A vehicle needed for work is protected only within the £1,350 cap; a Blue Badge vehicle is protected outright; and the exemption does not extend to every car in the household. If a bailiff lists your vehicle for control and you believe it is exempt, say so in writing immediately and see our guide on disputing fees and actions.
⚖ Source-checked 2026-10-09 at legislation.gov.uk · Independent information — not legal advice.