The new British coalition government has warned local authorities in the United Kingdom not to provide tax breaks to branches of the Church of Scientology. After an investigation by The Guardian newspaper revealed that several local authorities have granted Scientology tax breaks worth over a million pounds, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles intervened to urge councils to end the practice. The City of London Corporation , which gave an 80\% tax exemption worth £1.3 million to the flagship Scientology centre in the City of London . The corporation justified the exemption on the basis that Scientology could be considered to be a charity either for the advancement of religion "or other purposes beneficial to the community". It said that it feared being sued by the organisation if it discontinued the exemption. Westminster City Council granted 80\% rates relief to the Scientology Celebrity Centre in the Bayswater district of London . This saved Scientology £165,303 over the past ten years, though as of July 2010 the centre is no longer in use. The council determined that Scientology was a "non-registered charity" that is "beneficial to the community". Birmingham City Council awarded the Church of Scientology Religious Education College an 80\% tax discount on the grounds that the property was an educational institution. The City of Sunderland gave the Church of Scientology's branch in the city tax relief worth £30,000 over five years. Camden London Borough Council refused to disclose whether and how much tax relief had been granted to the Scientology branch in the London Borough of Camden . Other local authorities, including Manchester City Council and Mid Sussex District Council , said that they charged Scientology the full commercial rate. The controversy was the latest in a series of disputes involving Scientology's tax status in the UK. Scientology is not officially recognised as a religion. The Charity Commission for England and Wales rejected an application in 1999 by Scientology for charitable status, ruling that its activities did not meet the "public benefit" test. However, in 2000 Scientology obtained exemption from Value Added Tax (VAT) on the grounds that its services were educational and non-profitable. It successfully sued HM Revenue and Customs for the return of £8 million in overpaid VAT. Related news 
The new British coalition government has warned local authorities in the United Kingdom not to provide tax breaks to branches of the Church of Scientology. After an investigation by newspaper revealed that several local authorities have granted Scientology tax breaks worth over a million pounds, intervened to urge councils to end the practice. The , which gave an 80\% tax exemption worth £1.3 million to the flagship Scientology centre in the . The corporation justified the exemption on the basis that Scientology could be considered to be a charity either for the advancement of religion "or other purposes beneficial to the community". It said that it feared being sued by the organisation if it discontinued the exemption. granted 80\% rates relief to the Scientology in the district of . This saved Scientology £165,303 over the past ten years, though as of July 2010 the centre is no longer in use. The council determined that Scientology was a "non-registered charity" that is "beneficial to the community". awarded the Church of Scientology Religious Education College an 80\% tax discount on the grounds that the property was an educational institution. The gave the Church of Scientology's branch in the city tax relief worth £30,000 over five years. refused to disclose whether and how much tax relief had been granted to the Scientology branch in the . Other local authorities, including and , said that they charged Scientology the full commercial rate. The controversy was the latest in a series of disputes involving Scientology's tax status in the UK. Scientology is not officially recognised as a religion. The rejected an application in 1999 by Scientology for charitable status, ruling that its activities did not meet the "public benefit" test. However, in 2000 Scientology obtained exemption from Value Added Tax (VAT) on the grounds that its services were educational and non-profitable. It successfully sued for the return of £8 million in overpaid VAT. Related news Sister links
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The Guardian
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Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles
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City of London Corporation
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City of London
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Westminster City Council
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Celebrity Centre in the Bayswater district of London
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Birmingham City Council
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City of Sunderland
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Camden London Borough Council
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London Borough of Camden
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Manchester City Council and Mid Sussex District Council
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Charity Commission for England and Wales
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HM Revenue and Customs
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Sister links