Bitcoin Council Tax

Paying council tax in bitcoin in the near future is a possibility, an MP has said.

11:59 16 December 2018

MP for Walsall North, Eddie Hughes, says the prospect of paying local authorities and utility providers with bitcoins one day could – and should – be a possibility.

 

Mr Hughes said that as bitcoin is always being talked about, MPs have the responsibility to gain better understanding of the technology behind it.

 

“It just feels like it gets talked about a lot, wherever you go in the UK, and as MPs we have a duty to understand it,” he said.

 

“Only recently I met with the RNLI which is now accepting charitable donations through cryptocurrency – if we can do that, what’s to stop us being able to pay council tax and other bills with bitcoin?

 

Mr Hughes comments come after the US state of Ohio launched a scheme to get businesses to register with a website designed to allow them to pay corporate taxes with bitcoin.

 

The initiative is the brainchild of Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel. He said: “We’re proud to do our small part and take this small step to make Ohio the first state in America to enable taxpayers to be able to pay via cryptocurrency,” says Mr Mandel.

 

“We’re doing this for two main reasons – first, to give more options and ease to taxpayers in how they pay their taxes.

 

“And, second, to really plant the flag in Ohio and say that Ohio is a place that’s embracing cryptocurrency, and embracing blockchain technology.”