Public Foots Deputy Prime Minister’s Council Tax on London Grace-and-Favour Home

Published: 26 August 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

The taxpayer is currently covering the council tax for Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner’s ministerial apartment in central London, raising questions over the treatment of government-provided residences and sparking fresh scrutiny of her property holdings.

The flat, located in Admiralty House, a Grade I-listed building in Whitehall, is considered a second home for Ms Rayner, who has officially designated her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency property, approximately 200 miles away, as her primary residence. This arrangement exempts her from personally paying the council tax on the London apartment, currently £2,034 per year, which is expected to double under a recently introduced premium on second homes.

The situation has prompted criticism from the Conservative Party, with Chairman Kevin Hollinrake describing the arrangement as “staggering hypocrisy,” highlighting the contrast between the Deputy Prime Minister’s personal tax treatment and her advocacy for increased property taxes on ordinary homeowners. He questioned whether the Admiralty House residence should, in fact, be treated as her primary residence given her central role in government and whether full disclosure of her tax obligations had been made to Parliament.

The controversy surrounding Ms Rayner’s property portfolio intensified this week following the revelation that she had purchased a third home—a £800,000 seafront property in Hove, East Sussex, used for weekend stays. While she confirmed that her primary residence remains in Ashton-under-Lyne, the 200-mile distance to London has raised questions about her working arrangements as a Cabinet minister.

Until December last year, Ms Rayner rented a property in London while carrying out her parliamentary and ministerial duties, with the cost covered under official expenses. She subsequently moved to her ministerial apartment in Admiralty House and acquired the Hove property in May. Allies of the Deputy Prime Minister state that council tax has been paid in full on both her Ashton-under-Lyne home and the Hove flat, including the second home premium. However, The Telegraph has confirmed that the bill for Admiralty House remains under government responsibility.

The current dispute echoes past controversies over grace-and-favour residences. In 2006, former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott faced criticism for using Admiralty House as a primary residence and ultimately paid £3,852 in council tax arrears. Other ministers, such as Michael Gove, have voluntarily paid council tax on official residences, despite representing constituencies in nearby regions.

According to guidance from the Cabinet Office, when ministers occupy an official residence as a second home, the responsibility for council tax falls to the relevant government department rather than the individual officeholder. This distinction applies to Ms Rayner, but not to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer or Chancellor Rachel Reeves, both of whom use Downing Street properties as their primary residences. A government spokesperson confirmed that Ms Rayner’s council tax obligations for Admiralty House have been “properly discharged,” without clarifying whether the payment was made personally.

Westminster City Council, where Admiralty House is located, has announced enforcement of the recently implemented second home council tax premium, although its application to grace-and-favour properties remains uncertain. The Cabinet Office declined to provide a definitive response when queried.

The revelation adds to a series of public discussions about Ms Rayner’s housing arrangements, which previously earned her the nickname “Two Homes Rayner” due to her early marital years dividing time between two council properties, raising questions about her adherence to housing and tax norms.

As debate intensifies over the proper treatment of ministerial residences, the latest disclosures underscore ongoing tensions between public expectations of accountability and the practical arrangements for senior officials operating between constituencies and government offices in London.