Tourist hotspots across England are preparing to double council tax for second home owners

Tourist hotspots across England are preparing to double the council tax for second home owners - on top of the five per cent rise for everyone introduced in Jeremy Hunt's autumn budget. If every local authority did it, only Westminster and Wandsworth would see tax bills for these homes remain under £1,000 In some of Britain's most expensive councils tax bills are already above £2,200 for a Band D home Tourist hotspots across England are preparing to double the council tax for second home owners Councils in Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk, the Lake District and Yorkshire are among those planning to increase council tax for those who are not permanent residents If the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill receives royal assent in April 2024, holiday home owners could see these sky-high bills double North Yorkshire, North Norfolk and Torridge in Devon have voted to introduce the increase as soon as possible The Chancellor's Autumn statement introduced the highest council tax rates on record Local authorities in Wales, such as Tenby, have introduced rules such as raising council tax by more than 300 per cent. In a statement, the council said that the plan to double second home owners' council tax bills could raise more than £14 million per year in North Yorkshire, with the Scarborough area accounting for half of this on its own. The council said the introduction of a 100% premium on council tax bills for second homes could generate in excess of £14 million a year in additional revenue Tripadvisor boasts 125 properties to rent in Staithes, and Airbnb has 54 places available Set so close to the sea and the Yorkshire Dales, Staithes is a tourist hotspot, and highly desirable for those searching for a getaway home Outside the Scarborough district, the council expects Richmondshire to generate about £1.8million through the second homes premium, while the Craven, Harrogate and Ryedale districts could each provide about £1.5 million in extra revenue.