Council Tax For Highland To Be Agreed in March

21st February 2025

Scottish councils are agreeing their council tax levels and it is not good news as some are going up by as much as 10%.

Following another council tax freeze for 2024/25 councils can now set the council tax level that they agree.

For the 2025/26 period, several Scottish councils have confirmed council tax increases. Here are some rates already agreed and pending.

East Lothian: 10% increase

Scottish Borders: 10% increase

North Lanarkshire: 10% increase

Edinburgh: 8% increase

Fife: 8.2% increase

Glasgow: 7.5% increase

Argyll and Bute: Expected 5% to 8.9% increase

Clackmannanshire: Expected 8% to 12% increase

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles): Expected 8% increase

Dumfries and Galloway: Expected 6% increase

These increases are due to the end of a nationwide freeze on council tax rates, allowing local authorities to set their own rates. The increases are aimed at addressing financial shortfalls and maintaining essential public services.

Despite the levels of increase it is expected there will still be cuts to some services.

Several years of freezes have squeezed council budgets.

A higher than expected settlement for public service workers has put added pressure on council budgets.

Highland council will agree its council tax on 6 March 2025.

Houses were last valued in 1991 and are very out of date. This means bands for valuations are not accurate. For over 20 years Scottish government has acknowledge things need to change but nothing has been done.

Added to the bills there will be a rise in the water rates that are charge on behalf of Scottish Water.

The special meeting to agree Highland council tax will be held on 6 March 2025 and will be webcast.

It should be remembered that council tax accounts for only about 19 percent of councils spending. Most of the money comes from the block grant from Scottish Government. Councils can raise some small amounts from other sources such as car parking charges, rents and hires, brown bin collections and others but the amounts are small overall.