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Written Question
Council Tax: Tax Rates and Bands
Tuesday 28th October 2025

Asked by: Catherine McKinnell (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne North)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with Valuation Office Agency on its policy not to review the council tax bandings of multiple properties in one request.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Council Tax legislation only allows for a formal challenge of multiple properties in exceptional and very specific circumstances, as set in the Council Tax (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2009.

If the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) finds or is alerted to information that suggests that the Council Tax List may be wrong, it will investigate and make corrections if necessary. Once a decision has been made to alter a property’s Council Tax band, the VOA have a duty to consider whether that decision should be applied to other similar properties in the locality and will take appropriate action as necessary.

The VOA is unable to disclose the outcome of any subsequent reviews of neighbouring properties, due to its strict duty to taxpayer confidentiality under the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act.

Written Question
Childcare: Tax Allowances
Tuesday 14th February 2023

Asked by: Catherine McKinnell (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne North)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families were eligible for tax-free childcare in each UK (a) nation and (b) region in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by John Glen

Families eligible for Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) are defined as those who meet the eligibility criteria and use qualifying childcare. HMRC does not hold this information for all families who could be eligible for TFC.

An estimate of the number of families eligible for TFC is derived from the Family Resources Survey. This is 1.3 million families across the UK over the past 5 years.

Since this is based on survey data, regional estimates are much less reliable and are not routinely produced but the table below was included in the Tax-Free Childcare Post Implementation Review and relates to March 2020 (see figure 4 on page 15):

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/28/pdfs/ukpgaod_20140028_en_001.pdf

The number of families that are eligible for TFC in each region is an estimate, based on information from the Family Resources Survey:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/family-resources-survey-financial-year-201718

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 19 Oct 2022
Economic Responsibility and a Plan for Growth

"My hon. Friend is spot on and Conservative Members should be listening to her speech. We have seen 12 years of cuts to our public services and facilities, but one small glimmer of hope for people in my city was the successful levelling-up bid for a leisure centre in the …..."
Catherine McKinnell - View Speech

View all Catherine McKinnell (Lab - Newcastle upon Tyne North) contributions to the debate on: Economic Responsibility and a Plan for Growth
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 12 Oct 2022
Economic Situation

"With the greatest respect, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury does not seem to be inhabiting the same planet as the rest of us. It is clear to anyone that the Government’s half-baked mini-Budget, sidelining of the Office for Budget Responsibility and lack of authority have caused chaos in the …..."
Catherine McKinnell - View Speech

View all Catherine McKinnell (Lab - Newcastle upon Tyne North) contributions to the debate on: Economic Situation
Speech in Commons Chamber - Fri 23 Sep 2022
The Growth Plan

"Twelve years of a Conservative Government and another growth plan, yet the reality is that the child poverty gap between the north-east and the rest of the country is at a 20-year high. Will the Chancellor explain how giving tax cuts to the wealthiest will put food on the table …..."
Catherine McKinnell - View Speech

View all Catherine McKinnell (Lab - Newcastle upon Tyne North) contributions to the debate on: The Growth Plan
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 28 Jun 2022
Oral Answers to Questions

"In the integrated rail plan announced just six months ago, the Government promised to invest in the east coast main line—a vital route connecting London, Newcastle and Scotland and bringing high-skill, high-wage jobs to our area. However, Ministers are already backtracking on some of these investment promises in other parts …..."
Catherine McKinnell - View Speech

View all Catherine McKinnell (Lab - Newcastle upon Tyne North) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 17 May 2022
Oral Answers to Questions

"The Government said they would prioritise closing the gap in pay, employment and productivity, yet since the Prime Minister took office average monthly earnings in every single north-east constituency have fallen even further behind those in London. Can the Government see that telling families to learn how to cook and …..."
Catherine McKinnell - View Speech

View all Catherine McKinnell (Lab - Newcastle upon Tyne North) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 15 Mar 2022
Oral Answers to Questions

"The stark reality in the north-east is that we have seen rising child poverty and reliance on food banks in recent years, and the poorest households lost £1,000 when the Government cut universal credit in the autumn. Rising prices look set to take away another £1,000 from households, before the …..."
Catherine McKinnell - View Speech

View all Catherine McKinnell (Lab - Newcastle upon Tyne North) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 11 Jan 2022
Downing Street Garden Event

"Does the Paymaster General agree that it would be utterly obscene if, at the same time—[Interruption.]..."
Catherine McKinnell - View Speech

View all Catherine McKinnell (Lab - Newcastle upon Tyne North) contributions to the debate on: Downing Street Garden Event
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 11 Jan 2022
Downing Street Garden Event

"Thank you, Mr Speaker. Does the Paymaster General agree that it would be utterly obscene if, at the same time that a support group for recovering alcoholics was contacting me, desperate to meet because they needed the mutual support to manage their addiction during the crushing isolation of lockdown, staff …..."
Catherine McKinnell - View Speech

View all Catherine McKinnell (Lab - Newcastle upon Tyne North) contributions to the debate on: Downing Street Garden Event