Second home owners may lose council tax discount

Currently, second homes can receive as much as a 50% discount, but councils may soon be able to remove or reduce the relief. The change forms part of new plans to be announced by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles today. The money saved would be used to keep overall council tax bills down. Pickes will say the reforms would allow for a £20 reduction in the annual bill for a typical Band D property in England, according to the BBC. "I want to do more to help everyday families with their cost of living, and protect family homes from tax increases," he said.