North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has warned that Welsh Government plans for taxes on legitimate self-catering accommodation businesses will hit women hardest.
The Welsh Government is looking to introduce regulations which will allow local authorities to charge a Council tax premium of up to 300% on holiday let businesses no longer exempt under new criteria, effective from April 2023.
In a question to the Minister for Finance and Local Government on the impact of gender budgeting plans on the Arfon constituency in today’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood highlighted the findings of an industry survey which demonstrate that in most cases women are the driving force in self-catering accommodation businesses and will therefore be affected most by the changes.
He said:
“Gender budgeting, as you know, promotes gender equity for women, men and gender-diverse groups. A survey by the Wales Tourism Alliance, UK Hospitality Cymru and the Professional Association of Self Caterers UK on the Welsh Government's proposals for self-catering accommodation and how it affects women and/or unpaid carers, to which 83 per cent of respondents were women, found that 71 per cent of respondents had caring responsibilities for school-age children, a disabled child or partner, or elderly parents; that 69 per cent fitted the self-catering accommodation around those responsibilities; and that 94 per cent would find it difficult or challenging to run their self-catering accommodation business if an increase in the number of nights required to be available to rent, to 252, and the number of nights actually let, to 182, came into force. In most cases, women are the driving force in these businesses.
“So, what consideration will the Welsh Government give to these businesswomen in Arfon, and across North Wales, when deciding on their proposal to raise the occupancy criteria for self-catering accommodation by 160 per cent before legitimate businesses are exempt from Council Tax premiums of up to 300 per cent from next April?”
In her response, the Minister said:
“There is very little evidence available in this regard, and certainly none that can be validated by the Welsh Government, but I am aware of the concerns that the Member raises.”
Speaking outside the meeting, Mr Isherwood said:
“In reality, there is ample evidence – including the survey results I highlighted – to show the serious damage that the Welsh Government's proposals will cause to people, businesses and local economies, evidence which they are choosing not to validate.”
