Valuation Office Agency to be scrapped in latest quango cull

The agency is responsible for valuing properties and supporting the collection of more than £60 billion in council tax and business rates each year (Kirsty O’Connor/PA) - (PA Archive)

The government body responsible for calculating council tax and business rates is to be scrapped in the latest move to cull quangos and cut costs.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) will be disbanded as a standalone division and the majority will be merged within HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by April next year, according to the Government.