Council tax premiums on long term empty homes will jump from 100 per cent to 150 per cent.

Gwynedd Council backed recommendations at a meeting on 4 December to raise the premium for homes that have been empty for 12 months or more, but no changes are proposed on second homes.

The council must make an annual decision if it wishes to levy a council tax premium on long-term vacant properties and second homes. Without that decision, a 50 per cent discount on council tax on the properties would have to be offered.

Cabinet Member for finance, Huw Wyn Jones, said the tax was aimed at encouraging owners to bring empty homes back into use.

“There were 550 houses in Gwynedd that had been empty for three years or more,” he said.

“That number of houses is the equivalent of building a new village for Gwynedd.

“The purpose of increasing the premium is not to make money but to get houses back into use to create more homes for the people of Gwynedd”.

He also urged anyone worried about paying the premium to contact the council “to make their case,” as there was an appeal process to provide exemptions and help in various circumstances.

For the 2026/27 financial year, the council agreed there would be no discount on class A second homes, under

Section 12 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (i.e. no change), no discount and raises in the premium of 150 per cent on class B second homes, under Section 12B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (i.e. no change), and no discount on homes that have been empty for six months or more and raises in the premium of 150 per cent on homes that have been empty for 12 months or more, under Section 12A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992) (i.e. increase the premium from 100 per cent to

150 per cent).

In a vote, 39 were in favour, three abstained and 10 were against.

At the same meeting, in a separate item, the council also considered its council tax reduction scheme for 2026/27.

It agreed that the council’s local scheme for the year commencing 1 April, 2026, would remain unchanged, as in 2025/26, and that its discretionary elements would continue.

This would see it apply a 100 per cent disregard for war disablement pensions, war widows’ pensions and war widowers’ pensions, for both pensioners and working age claimants.

It would not increase the extended reduction periods for pensioners and working age claimants from the standard four weeks in the Prescribed Scheme, nor increase the backdate period for pensioners and working age claimants from the standard three months contained within the

Prescribed Scheme.

It also agreed, where appropriate, to delegate powers to the Head of Finance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, to make minor amendments to the scheme for 2026/27, on condition it will not change the substance of the scheme.