Labour has accused ministers of “cynical spin” over claims they are offering new tax breaks on “granny flats”.
Hillary Benn, the party’s communities spokesman, described it as an attempt to divert attention from “their housing crisis”. Eric Pickles, communities secretary, had said the government was keen to remove tax and other regulatory obstacles to families having a live-in annexe for immediate relatives. The Independent on Sunday points out that live-in annexes for relatives older than 65 have been exempt from council tax for 15 years. Benn said the government needed “to get building”.
03/06/12 Independent on Sunday 20
