Council cyber strikes threaten to dam money reaching Treasury
A Cyber attack on three central London councils is threatening to block billions in stamp duty from reaching the Treasury.
The IT systems of Kensington & Chelsea Council were hit in late November, halting local authority searches needed for property sales.
Planning applications are also being delayed, with some households potentially waiting until Christmas to begin renovations.
The damage has spread to Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham, with which Kensington shares services. In the 2024-25 tax year, £1.5billion in stamp duty was paid through these three councils.
Threat: A cyber attack on three central London councils is threatening to block billions in stamp duty from reaching the Treasury
Jenna Whistler, of legal firm Farrer & Co, said: ‘The on-going delay is preventing many purchase and remortgage transactions from proceeding.’
Westminster says it is handling the processes manually. Kensington did not respond to requests for comment.
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