Refunds amid Bristol's U-turn on van-dwellers' tax

People living in vans on "meanwhile sites" in Bristol will have their council tax payments refunded, after the Valuation Office ruled that individual pitches were not eligible for the full fee.

Meanwhile sites are land earmarked for development, where people pay for a pitch instead of living on the roadside. Last April several van dwellers objected after the council tax charge was introduced.

A letter from the council explained that each site would now be treated like a house of multiple occupation, with council tax divided up between residents.

"If you have paid any council tax, any credit on your account will be refunded," the letter said.

Since April, eligible van dwellers have been paying £35 a week in council tax, on top of the rent for their pitch.

The Valuation Office (VO) has not yet confirmed the banding applicable to each site, so it is unclear how much individuals will have to pay.

The fee will not be introduced until April 2027.

One van dweller said the news was "a relief", and they were pleased to be able to "contribute fairly."

Another added: "It's a welcome move but I'm cautious to call this a win until the valuation is complete and we know what the final bill will be.

"None of us are objecting to paying council tax, most of us are keen to because we want to support the community that we live in."

They said that people living on a meanwhile site can find it harder to access financial services.

"Levying council tax on a group of people that don't have financial stability because we don't have an address, we're not allowed to use it as a care-of address... that financial stability is really important when you're levying people for council tax."

The council says it made the decision to introduce charges "based on the information and advice available at the time, and on the approach that the VO was expected to take."

"We are now working through the implications of the VO's decision and will keep residents informed about future pitch fees, which will include a contribution towards council tax costs."

Bristol Labour councillors welcomed the change, but said the council needed to "get its act together."

Councillor Paul Goggin, Bristol Labour Housing Spokesperson, said the introduction of meanwhile sites had been "a mess from start to finish."

"If the Council got its act together in providing meanwhile sites, there would be much fewer unlawful encampments across Bristol," he added. "It's in everyone's interest to get this right."