Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England has made an assessment of the cost to the Church of England of the new council tax surcharge on residential dwellings occupied by serving or retired Anglican clergy and owned by the Church.

The National Church Institutions of the Church of England (NCIs) have not conducted a formal assessment because the management of council tax levied on vicarages is handled at a diocesan level, and retired clergy are responsible for their own council tax on their retirement properties.

A broad, high-level assessment was conducted shortly after the Government's initial budget announcement in November 2025. It indicated that the proposed changes to council tax would mainly impact dioceses in regions with vicarages in higher property bands, especially the London Diocese. Any extra council tax payable would be borne by dioceses for housing parish clergy, archdeacons, and suffragan bishops; by cathedral chapters for housing cathedral clergy; and by the Church Commissioners for diocesan bishops' housing.