Troops win council tax rebate
Troops serving in Iraq or Afghanistan will receive a reduction on their council tax bill, the government has confirmed.
Following criticisms of the treatment of troops returning to the UK, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said troops serving abroad should receive a partial rebate on their council tax.
Troops in Iraq or Afghanistan will be the first to receive the £140 rebate, paid for every six-month tour of duty. Money will be paid through the tax-free Operational Allowance, due on April 1 2008.
The MoD says it hopes to extend the payment to all overseas troops by next year.
Defence secretary Des Browne said: “I am delighted to announce a further enhancement to the operational welfare package.
“This payment is designed to offset around 25 per cent of their council tax payments whilst they are on operations.
“It underlines the government’s commitment to support our armed forces and their families.”
The tax relief will be funded through the MoD’s existing budget.
The Conservatives criticised the government’s refusal to increase overall funding, warning the initiative would pile further pressure on frontline budgets.
Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said: “This has all the hallmarks of the MoD being bounced into giving a good headline to Number 10.”
He warned the payment risked dividing the armed forces, as it discriminates between personnel on different operations.
Mr Fox concluded: “Yet again it’s Gordon’s spin first, our forces’ welfare second.”
The government has been under increasing pressure over conditions for service personnel over the past six months, with criticisms raised over a raft of issues from the quality of troops’ housing to mental health support.
Last week, the head of the army, general sir Richard Dannatt, said the British public are not supportive of troops, contrasting their “dismissive and indifferent” response with the attitude to homecoming troops in America.
