Council Tax Reduction Supports Half A Million Scots

23rd June 2021

Scotland's Chief Statistician today released the latest Council Tax Reduction statistics. In March 2021, Scotland’s Council Tax Reduction scheme supported 496,580 households (compared to 469,370 in March 2020) and the total weekly income forgone by local authorities was £7.328 million (compared to £6.525 million in March 2020).

The impact of Covid-19 caused a rise in CTR recipients in Scotland, most markedly in April and May 2020 as the economic effects of the pandemic began to be felt, with a peak of 501,680 CTR recipients in August 2020, in contrast to the gradual decreasing trend observed previously.

The total number of Council Tax Reduction recipients in Scotland is now only 10 per cent (55,800 recipients) lower in March 2021 than it was when the scheme began (April 2013), similar to levels observed in September 2016. The total number of CTR recipients in Scotland increased sharply by 4.4 per cent in April 2020 to 490,160 from March 2020 (469,370), with further increases recorded in subsequent months as a result of the economic impacts of Covid-19.

The agreement secured with local authorities, to cap increases in Council Tax to 4.84 per cent in cash terms (3 per cent in real terms) in 2020-21 is also reflected in the increase in income forgone.

 

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