Caerphilly Observer
Member Sign in Manage Membership
Become a Member - no ads
Menu
  • News
    • Senedd
    • Business
    • Newport
    • Opinion
  • Sport
    • Rugby union
    • Football
  • Membership & Subscriptions
  • Notices
  • Obituaries
  • About
    • Advertise
  • Sponsored Content
Menu

2026 Senedd Election: What are the parties saying about taxation?

News | Ella Groves - ICNN Senedd Reporter | Published: 14:52, Wednesday May 6th, 2026.
Last updated: 14:52, Wednesday May 6th, 2026

Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

What are the main parties saying about taxation?

Taxation has played a key part in this Senedd election campaign – with the main parties taking differing stances on the topic.

Tax in Wales is partially devolved – meaning that the Senedd and Westminster each control different areas of Welsh taxation.

The Welsh Government has control over specific taxes such as land transaction tax and landfill disposals tax, as well as partial control over income tax. Other taxes, however, remain controlled by Westminster.

The devolved taxes enable the Welsh Government to raise more of its own revenue, as opposed to relying solely on the UK Government’s block grant.

But what taxation polices have been proposed by the parties in their manifestos?

Devolved versus reserved powers: What does the Senedd actually control?

Income tax

One of the headline pledges of Reform UK’s manifesto is to cut 1p off the pound across all rates of Welsh income tax.

The party says the move is “necessary to jump-start” the Welsh economy and promises to have enacted the cut by the end of the Senedd term.

It says the move will be funded by reductions in expenditure elsewhere, but stresses this will not include cuts to frontline services – what reductions will be made instead are not specified.

Similarly, the Welsh Conservatives also promise to cut income tax should they form the next Welsh Government.

The Tories say they will cut the basic rate of income tax by 1p – a move which they claim will save the average working family £450 per year.

Analysis undertaken by BBC Verify found that the proposed cut would save the average individual £220 in the first year, or around £450 for a family with two working adults.

However, BBC Verify also notes a 1p cut in Welsh income tax rates would result in a loss of more than £300 million for the Welsh Government, and the UK Government will not make up this loss in its block grant for Wales.

It suggests that changing the basic rate of income tax in Wales by 1p would lower the estimated Welsh Government revenue from income tax from £3.13 billion to £2.82 billion.

But while Welsh Labour does not propose a tax cut, it does promise to not raise Welsh rates of income tax in the next Senedd term.

It also says it will “explore the case” for the expansion of Wales’ income tax powers, if elected.

Plaid Cymru makes a similar pledge, with the party saying it will seek greater tax powers for Wales – including the ability to set income tax bands to make it “fairer and more progressive”.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats also pledge to seek increased taxation powers for Wales, with the party saying it will press for “full powers to change income tax rates and thresholds in line with Scotland”.

On the other side, the Lib Dems are also the only main party to commit to a tax increase.

The party says it would raise the Welsh rate of income tax by 1p in the pound, for an emergency period, if Westminster “fails to reform Wales’ funding formula and fails to tax banks and large social media companies effectively”.

The Wales Green Party does not discuss income tax within its manifesto but does pledge changes to make it “fairer and more effective”.

Council tax

With arguably the most radical council tax policy, the Wales Green Party wants to scrap council tax entirely.

The party say it will replace it with a land value tax which “cuts the average bill, while wealthier property owners pay more”.

However, how the money lost from scrapping council tax will be regained is not specified within the manifesto, nor is whether the land value tax would make up the shortfall.

While not as radical, Welsh Labour also proposes council tax reform within its manifesto, pledging to make council tax fairer.

Labour says, if elected, it will “explore expansion” of the council tax debt rescue scheme piloted in Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, and Newport.

Describing the current system as “long overdue for reform”, Plaid Cymru also commits to making council tax fairer – and says it will work with councils to do so.

The Welsh Conservatives instead propose a cap for council tax increases, suggesting that local referendums should be required for rises larger than 5%.

Reform UK makes a similar pledge, promising that if it forms the next Welsh government it will require local referendums for council tax rises of over 4.99% in line with England.

The Lib Dems do not mention council tax within their manifesto.

Senedd election 2026: What’s changing?

Vacant land tax

The Wales Green Party proposes a vacant land tax designed to ensure that unused land with planning permission is put to “productive use”.

The policy is also proposed by Plaid Cymru and Welsh Labour as a way to encourage both residential and business development.

The Welsh Conservatives do not propose a vacant land tax. Instead the party suggests scrapping land transaction tax (stamp duty) on primary residences to “help people get onto, and move up and down, the housing ladder”.

Reform UK and the Welsh Liberal Democrats do not present a vacant land tax in their manifestos.

Inheritance Tax

Inheritance tax features in only two of the major parties manifestos – Reform UK and Plaid Cymru.

Both parties pledge to protect family farms in Wales from changes to inheritance tax rules by the UK Government.

Plaid Cymru says it will insist the Welsh Government “has a seat at the table whenever and wherever decisions are made about and for Wales” and “will seek to ensure that Welsh farming is protected in any future trade deals, and to continue to improve access to European and other markets for Welsh producers”.

Reform UK, on the other hand, claim it is the only party that can be “trusted to protect the rural way of life and the wider countryside economy”.

Welsh-only: The new constituency names for the 2026 Senedd election

Sign-up to our daily newsletter


Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts.

Become a member today

Latest News

  • doctor stock image
    Healthcare: What are the main parties saying in their manifestos?Wednesday, May 6, 2026
  • disabled parking pay stock image
    What are the major parties saying about human rights, social justice, and equality?Wednesday, May 6, 2026
  • What are the major parties saying about education and childcare?Wednesday, May 6, 2026
  • 2026 Senedd Election: What are the parties saying about taxation?Wednesday, May 6, 2026
  • cricket stock image
    Cricket catch-up: Bad weather frustrates on opening day of new seasonWednesday, May 6, 2026
  • Rugby round-up: Season’s end edges closer as teams continue to battle it outWednesday, May 6, 2026

Find out how the communities of Caerphilly County Borough get their names

Caerphilly

Legal & Public Notices

  • Notice of application for a premises licence: Newbridge RFCWednesday, April 29, 2026
  • Notice of claim to land, TrethomasThursday, April 16, 2026
  • Caerphilly County Borough Council public noticesThursday, April 16, 2026
  • Planning notice for land south of Valley View, Cefn HengoedThursday, April 2, 2026
© 2009-2026 Caerphilly Media Ltd, Caerphilly Miners Centre for the Community Watford Road Caerphilly, CF83 1BJ. Incorporated in Wales No. 07604006.