Labour has been accused of plotting to bring in a “widow’s tax” by scrapping the single person discount for council tax payers.

At present, single people are entitled to a 25 per cent discount on their council tax bills - equivalent to £516 on an average Band D home in England.

However, the Labour-run Welsh Government is running a consultation on whether it should have the flexibility to change the level of the single person's discount in a bid to make the system fairer.

The Telegraph can disclose that the majority of Labour councils in Wales have responded to say they agree the Welsh government should have such a flexibility. 

Rishi Sunak said on Friday that the people of Wales were being used as “guinea pigs for Labour’s socialist agenda”, adding: “Keir Starmer calls Wales a Labour blueprint for the rest of the country - that's a scary thought.”

On Monday, Greg Hands, the Tory chairman, said what was being considered in Wales would be considered in England if Sir Keir wins the next election.

Removing the discount would mean a 33 per cent increase in the yearly bill for young professionals, single parents, widows and widowers.

In its response, Labour-led Monmouthshire council said: “This [single person] discount is not really fit for purpose…

“It is difficult to understand why there is a reduction if there is only one occupier in the property.”

Mr Hands said: “Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is using Wales to road test their plans to hike up taxes on people’s homes.

“Greedy Labour councils have been exposed as plotting to hammer singletons with higher taxes, working against the interests of their own residents. Labour councillors want a tax on every Bridget Jones.

“Widows, widowers and singletons face the prospect of their single person discount on their bills being ripped away, despite the fact they use council services less.

“Only Conservatives will protect this discount and keep council tax down.”

The Welsh Government’s consultation suggested introducing higher council tax bands to ensure those in larger properties pay as much as twice as they do at present.

They want to see more revaluations so that people have to pay more if they increase the value of their home by carrying out renovations.

A list of consultation responses, obtained via the Freedom of Information Act, showed: “Of those local authorities that responded, the majority were in favour of the Welsh Government having more flexibility over the discounts, particularly the single (chargeable) adult discount.”

Labour-run Cardiff council said: “The Welsh Government should have more flexibility for single adult and empty property discounts.

“In fact, consideration could be given to delegating these powers to individual local authorities. Any additional income generated as a result of reducing the current value of the discount available should be retained by the local authority for spending.”

Monmouthshire council’s submission continued: “The 25 per cent reduction is not means tested, it is awarded across the system…

“On average, one in every three properties claim a single discount. As this discount has been in place for a considerable amount of time it will be difficult to remove… [so] a phased approach should be considered through a reduction of the percentage award over a period.”

Labour-run Torfaen council said: “The current system of discounts regardless of income is not fair and makes the tax less progressive.”

The Welsh Government’s consultation said it would consider legislative changes to allow it to vary the 25 per cent single person’s discount. 

“Each category of discount, disregarded person, exemption and premium will be considered,” it said.

The consultation document cites research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, commissioned by the Welsh Government, which concluded: “Our view is that the single person discount is highly distortionary and should be abolished.”