Key facts
- SNP MSP Jack Middleton has written to King Charles asking if he will pay increased council tax on Balmoral Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
- A 200% council tax premium on second homes means owners pay 300% of the standard rate in Aberdeenshire.
- Edinburgh City Council will implement a 300% council tax premium on second homes.
- Balmoral Castle is valued at approximately £50 million, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse is valued closer to £60 million.
- The Scottish Government is consulting on creating two new council tax bands for properties worth over £1 million.
Aberdeen Central MSP Jack Middleton has written to King Charles seeking clarity on whether the monarch will pay increased council tax rates on his Scottish properties. The letter addresses the payment for Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Middleton noted that Aberdeenshire Council introduced a 200% premium on second homes in September, resulting in owners paying 300% of the standard council tax rate. Edinburgh City Council is set to implement a similar 300% premium on second homes, which would mean properties like Holyroodhouse are charged four times the standard rate.
The policy of increasing council tax for second homes was introduced to help address Scotland's housing emergency by increasing housing availability. Middleton also inquired if the King had responded to a Scottish Government consultation on creating two new council tax bands for properties valued over £1 million, with Balmoral valued at approximately £50 million and Holyroodhouse closer to £60 million.