Junior tax minister Frans Weekers has denied that his department has been secretive about the rise in the special tax for home owners, known as the eigenwoningforfait.

The tax, levied over the official value of the property, is going up from 0.6% to 0.7%. This means home owners have to add 0.7% of the value of their homes to their annual income and pay income tax on it.

Weekers said the increase had not been kept secret and that the increase has been calculated in the same way as it has been since 2001.

The rise is calculated according to changes in the cost of renting a house and developments on the owner-occupier market. The tax was introduced years ago as an income equaliser because home owners were considered to be better off than tenants who pay rent.