Plaid Cymru promise council tax cut for thousands of households

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price has today pledged that thousands of Welsh households will see a cut in their council tax under his party’s plans to reform the current “unfair and outdated” system.

He said that around 20% of households in the bottom fifth of income distribution would see their council tax bill fall by around £200.

Making council tax proportional to up-to-date values would lead to average bills falling by more than £160 in Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot and Blaenau Gwent, he said.

“The Institute of Fiscal Studies describes Wales’s current council tax model as ‘out of date, regressive and distortionary’,” he said.

“It is unsurprising but entirely unacceptable that Welsh families have been hit by a total of £13m of council tax arrears during the pandemic.

“That is why a Plaid Cymru government would take immediate action to reform this deeply unfair system and help the average household make their weekly budget go further.”

‘Fairness’

Adam Price said that the values of properties in different parts of the country have changed differently over the 18 years since the last revaluation in 2003.

He cited the example of Blaenau Gwent where it has increased more than twice as much as in Wrexham.

“The value of properties in different parts of Wales has varied considerably over the 18 years since the last revaluation in 2003,” he said.

“As the IFS also notes, making council tax proportional to up-to-date values would lead to average bills falling by more than £160 in Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot and Blaenau Gwent.

“This progressive policy will form part of Plaid Cymru’s wider programme for government which has fairness for families at its heart.”