- Prime minister-elect Andy Burnham faces calls from a cross-party group of MPs to reform council tax by introducing new bands for England's most valuable properties.
- The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on local government argues that the current council tax system, based on 1991 valuations, is outdated and that additional bands would make it more progressive.
- These proposals coincide with existing plans for a 'mansion tax' from April 2028 on properties worth £2m or more, which could incur bills of up to £7,500, with Mr Burnham considering lowering this threshold to £1.5m.
- Critics, including mortgage director Peter Stimson and TaxPayers' Alliance chief John O’Connell, warn that simply adding higher bands or removing council tax increase restrictions risks burdening the middle class and giving councils excessive power without addressing fundamental issues like the need for full property revaluations.
- The debate over council tax reform will be an early test for Mr Burnham, who has also previously supported replacing stamp duty with a land value tax and pledged to avoid increasing income tax, VAT, or national insurance.
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