MHCLG are seeking views on the administration of council tax including:

• changing the ways council tax is billed, collected and enforced
• modernising the support available in the system
• supporting councils to improve efficiency

Consultation Proposals:

1. The way council tax is administered has not been updated in decades. This consultation sets out how the government intends to modernise the administration of council tax to deliver a fairer and more efficient system for taxpayers and local government. 
2. The government proposes changing council tax billing from 10-months to 12-months by default. This will assist households in managing their finances. It proposes maintaining the ability for households to pay over 10 months where this is preferable.  
3. The government is seeking views on ways it can improve the transparency of council tax information. This change will help taxpayers understand what their council tax is spent on and help them connect their council tax to local services. The change is also intended to provide taxpayers with information on the support available to them and how to access it. 
4. The government is seeking views on how it can modernise council tax disregards to ensure they continue to support those they were intended to support. The criteria for disregards have not been reviewed in decades.  
5. The government also proposes changing the outdated and alienating name of the ‘severe mental impairment’ disregard, and amending its definition to encourage more eligible people to make use of the disregard. 
6. The government is interested in views on how could improve efficiency in billing for councils. The requirements for how councils communicate council tax information is still much the  same as when council tax was introduced. This consultation seeks views on how this may be modernised to deliver value for money for councils and taxpayers. 
7. The government is seeking views on whether there is anything the government can do to remove barriers to effectively challenging bandings, recognising that some households could be paying more than they should and do not have a straightforward mechanism to check and challenge their council tax band. 
8. Finally, the government is proposing changes to processes for collecting and enforcing council tax charges. It is right that councils have the power to recover debts owed to them and to tackle cases of avoidance. However, the government believes households should be free from concerns of disproportionate enforcement action. The government is proposing increasing the time before councils can request a full-bill from households and capping the costs charged on households in seeking liability orders for debts.

The consultation can be found at Modernising and improving the administration of council tax - GOV.UK

The closing date for responses is 12 September 2025.

The IRRV's response can be found here: IRRV-Response-CT-Improving-Admin-September-2025.pdf

This consultation seeks views on the potential introduction of fees for appeals on non-domestic rating valuations.

The non-domestic rates system was reviewed in 2017 by the independent Barclay Review which aimed to support growth, improve administration and increase fairness of the non-domestic rates system. The report of the Barclay Review called for reforms to the appeals system to modernise the approach, reduce appeal volume and ensure greater transparency and fairness.

A new two-stage appeals system was introduced on 1 April 2023 to improve information-sharing between parties early in the process and help settle appeals amicably without necessarily requiring the involvement of the Scottish Tribunals.

In the first stage of the appeals process, if a property owner or occupier disagrees with the valuation of their non-domestic property, they may within prescribed timescales submit a proposal to the Assessor to amend it. The outcome of the proposal stage can in certain circumstances be appealed to the Local Taxation Chamber, First-tier Tribunal for Scotland.

Fees are potentially a means to support the effective and efficient running of the appeals system and to help deliver fairness for all. There is currently no fee for lodging a proposal with the Assessor, or an appeal with the Local Taxation Chamber.

This consultation seeks views on the potential introduction of fees, and the design considerations for any fees, for non-domestic rating appeals lodged with the Local Taxation Chamber.

The consultation can be found at https://consult.gov.scot/local-government-and-communities/fees-appeals-non-domestic-rating-valuations/

Closing date for responses is 8 October 2025.

Since April 2023, self-catering properties must be available for 252 days and actually let for 182 days each year to pay non-domestic rates instead of council tax. The rules were brought in to ensure property owners make a fair contribution to their local community.

The Welsh Government is seeking views on 2 key changes to the way the rules are applied, to give the sector extra stability:

• Allowing holiday let owners to use an average of 182 days let over several years. This means those who narrowly miss 182 days letting in the latest year would remain on non-domestic rates if they had achieved it on average over 2 or 3 previous years.
• Allowing up to 14 days of free holidays donated to charity to count towards the 182-day target.

The consultation also asks whether councils should consider giving businesses more time to adjust, such as a 12-month grace period before they may have to pay higher council tax rates when they move from non-domestic to domestic classification.

The consultation can be found at Proposed refinements to the classification of self-catering properties for local tax purposes | GOV.WALES

Closing date for responses is 20 November 2025.

In its first major update since 2014, the standard represents several years of collaborative development with technical experts and reflects RICS' commitment to protecting public interest through standards and clarity in regulation. The updated standard is designed to be globally relevant and applicable to members providing expert evidence in civil proceedings before tribunals worldwide.

The updated standard reinforces the fundamental principle that defines expert witness practice: the primary duty of expert witnesses is to the tribunal, not the client. This means all reports and evidence must be independent, unbiased, and within the surveyor’s true expertise.

Key updates

• Global application

  The 5th edition applies worldwide, while recognising local legal differences. It aims to work within various legal systems while maintaining core professional principles.

• Enhanced professional protection

  The standard provides clear fee guidance on conditional and deferred fees, protecting professional independence. It also includes risk mitigation for high-volume cases, template usage, and professional responsibilities. There are clearer requirements for identifying and disclosing conflicts of interest, along with an explanation of legal consequences for non-compliance.

• Modern practice integration

  The update covers provisions for AI use, digital evidence, and new legal procedures, emphasising the quality and relevance of expert evidence. 

RICS welcomes member and stakeholder feedback to ensure the standard is:

• practical: achievable in real-world expert witness practice

• relevant: addresses current and emerging challenges

• clear: easy to understand and implement

• global: applicable across different jurisdictions and legal systems.

The consultation can be found at RICS launches global consultation on updated expert witness standard

Closing date for responses is 7 October 2025.