Tax break for “granny flats”

Ministers are expected to abolish council tax for “annexes” to encourage pensioners to move in with relations. The Government will also consider overhauling planning rules to make it easier to adapt garages, etc. The Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, said it was “fundamentally unfair” for households to be charged twice by paying council tax on their homes as well as the annexes.

Quite right too. People should not be paying tax on their granny annexes, or on their loft extensions, or on their conservatories or garages. They should not even be paying taxes on their houses. That leaves just the value of the bare site the houses are standing on.

Come on Pickles, you know this makes sense. Go the whole hog.