It’s 2026, and the UK’s property tax system is still stuck in the past.
Council Tax is still based on property values from the early 1990s, so it routinely overcharges some households while letting others off far too lightly. At the same time, councils are left struggling to fund the local services we all rely on, and more and more people are falling behind.
That is why we’ve launched a new UK Parliament petition calling on the Government to commission a full, independent review of Council Tax and Stamp Duty, so the country can finally deliver the evidence-based reform the housing market urgently needs.
The system is in crisis, and the numbers are getting harder to ignore
Council Tax arrears across Britain have climbed to nearly £8.3 billion, a clear sign that the system is no longer matching people’s ability to pay.
In England alone, research cited by National Debtline suggests 2.2 million people were behind on their Council Tax bill as of March 2025.
Ministers have acknowledged the unfairness, too. In the November 2025 Budget speech, the Chancellor described Council Tax as a “longstanding source of wealth inequality”. But small tweaks and surcharges will not fix a system this outdated.
What the petition calls for
The petition urges the Government to commission an independent review that can look properly at:
- Council Tax, including the way it is calculated, who it hits hardest, and whether it provides a stable way to fund local services
- Stamp Duty, a narrow, one-off tax that distorts the market and discourages people from moving, even when their homes no longer fit their lives
Strong start, and we need to keep going
The deadline to sign is 23rd July 2026, so the earlier we build momentum, the harder this becomes to ignore.
If you agree, we deserve better than a broken system patched up with quick fixes:
- Sign the petition
- Share it with someone who’d back a fairer deal
- Help us show just how many people want a property tax system that actually makes sense