Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure serving personnel who are posted away on operational duties and have a property in the UK are able to receive council tax discounts; and how his Department ensures personnel are (a) informed and (b) supported in accessing this discount.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) pays a tax-free allowance called Council Tax Relief for certain Service personnel on specified operations or assignments. In 2011, the MOD doubled the rate from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, under the auspices of the Armed Forces Covenant. The MOD has established structures in place to engage regularly with a wide range of stakeholders including Serving personnel and their families. This routine engagement maintains continued awareness of the support available.