Vicars in London are to be hit by the “ mansion tax ,” Parliament has been told.

The Lord Bishop of Manchester, The Right Reverend Dr David Walker, stressed that even in relatively poor parishes in the capital and some parts of the wider South East, vicarages are worth more than £2 million so would be caught by the new levy.

He emphasised that these were not “large and luxurious” properties but because of their location they had a high value.

He urged the Government to exempt vicarages from the “mansion tax” announced by Rachel Reeves in her Budget on November 26 with its array of new or higher taxes to raise £26 billion.

Vicars themselves would not be liable to pay the new levy as it is the owner of the property who will get the bill of between £2,500 and £7,500 a year.

Bu

See Full Page