The capacity for people to bury their heads in the sand when faced by debt problems should never be understimated.
They get the letters and push them into a drawer unopened, or behind the settee or stuff them in a cupboard,. Occasionally they put them in the bin, although this is surprisingly rare.
They do not attend court, they do not seek help, they just hope that if they ignore it long enough, it will go away. They often just do not know what they can do. Transfixed like rabbits in spotlights.
So when the bailiffs arrive it is a surprise and a dreadful shock, and, as the programme often shows, they are then directed to the srvices that can help them.