Council tax discount for troops

Serving personnel whose homes are unoccupied will qualify for the discount

Military personnel who own homes in Wales but live in Ministry of Defence accommodation elsewhere will qualify for a 50% cut in council tax.

MPs highlighted a discrepancy between Wales and other parts of the UK, where the discount is automatically applied.

However Welsh councils were allowed to have discretion over giving reductions to military families, and many did not.

Assembly local government minister Dr Brian Gibbons said he planned to make the discount obligatory.

The anomaly came to light after a member of the armed forces spoke to Rhondda MP Christ Bryant, who discovered the differing situation in Wales compared to England and Scotland.

Mr Bryant, who was supported by fellow MPs Kim Howells, Kevin Brennan, Chris Ruane, Madeleine Moon, Paul Murphy and Jessica Morden, said it was a matter of "common decency" that that the issue be sorted out.

The changes will mean that local authorities will be obliged to offer 50% off council tax to military families who have a second home in Wales which is not permanently occupied.

'Valued work'

However, homes which are occupied by the families of serving personnel and to which the member of the armed forces returns on leave will be considered main residences and will not qualify for the discount.

Dr Gibbons told the assembly: "Local authorities have discretion to allow discount for second homes for all service personnel.

"Unfortunately, it has been brought to my attention recently that many have decided not to give a discount and as a result most service personnel will pay full council tax on their second home.

"We value the work our armed services do on our behalf and we want to make sure that they are not disadvantaged by having to pay full council tax on their second homes."

"I have given this matter my full consideration and I have decided that council tax relief for service personnel with second properties should be offered due to their unique circumstances.

"Any reduction in income for local authorities would be made up in the revenue support grant."