URGENT UPDATE: Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is embroiled in a new controversy over her delayed payment of council tax on her grace-and-favour apartment. The backlash follows accusations that she attempted to evade a tax surcharge on her residence at Admiralty House, valued at £18 million.
New reports confirm that Rayner only settled her £2,034 council tax bill after being contacted by The Mail on Sunday. This comes on the heels of her resignation from the Cabinet in September 2025 for underpaying stamp duty on another property. The scandal intensifies as Rayner is rumored to be planning a political comeback.
In April 2025, Westminster Council implemented a 100% council tax surcharge on second homes, which should have applied to her Admiralty House residence. Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake wrote to Rayner in the same month, inquiring whether she considered Admiralty House her primary or secondary home. At that time, she was living part-time in her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency and was in the process of purchasing a flat in Hove.
Rayner responded that her “council tax responsibility” was “properly discharged.” However, it was not until June 2025, after The Mail on Sunday raised questions about her tax arrangements, that she belatedly made the necessary payments.
According to Hollinrake, the Cabinet Office only confirmed that Admiralty House was classified as a second home on October 21, 2025. He highlighted that the tax premium was due from April 1, 2025, and that council tax bills are typically issued in March, requiring upfront payment.
Hollinrake stated, “A taxpayer cannot just choose to pay their bill months later. This was a cover-up.” He further alleged that Rayner, who was Secretary of State in charge of council tax starting in July 2024, should have been aware of the new surcharge.
In a letter to Labour leader Keir Starmer, Hollinrake expressed concerns that Rayner misled Parliament and violated the Ministerial Code. He noted, “It is not credible she did not know there was a new tax surcharge on second homes.”
A source close to Rayner defended her actions, claiming, “The Government is responsible for liaising with Westminster Council and administering council tax on Admiralty House, not Angela.” A government spokesperson also stated that paying the council tax was in line with long-standing precedents under successive administrations.
As the situation unfolds, the political ramifications could be significant for Rayner, who is facing increasing scrutiny from both the public and her party. Observers are watching closely to see how this controversy will impact her anticipated return to politics.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.
