News Archive

21/12/2023

Winter Heating Payments Begin

Money to help with heating costs is on its way to around 400,000 people on low incomes through the Scottish Government benefit Winter Heating Payment.   Winter Heating Payment is paid in batches to eligible clients, with the first payments paid this week.  

21/12/2023

 
Thousands Of Green Jobs Created Thanks To Government Nature Fund, New Report Finds

The £80m Green Recovery Challenge Fund supported 150 projects, created more than 2,600 jobs and connected more than 400,000 people with nature.   More than 2,500 jobs have been created in the environmental sector thanks to the government backed Green Recovery Challenge Fund, a new report published today (21 December) shows.  

21/12/2023

 
Pensioners Receive £4.8 Billion In Government Support To Heat Their Homes Over Winter

11.9 million Winter Fuel Payments and Pensioner Cost of Living Payments - worth over £4.8 billion - have been made to pensioners across the UK over the past month.   Around 11.9 million Winter Fuel Payments and Pensioner Cost of Living Payments have been made to pensioners across the UK over the past month.  

21/12/2023

Pioneering Jet Delivers Final Plasma

The ground-breaking fusion machine, Joint European Torus (JET), has finished its course of final experiments after 40 years.   The Joint European Torus (JET) has performed its final experiments, marking the end of a 40-year era for the groundbreaking machine.  

21/12/2023

Monthly Scottish Gdp Estimates For October

Scotland's onshore GDP contracted by 0.5% in October, according to statistics announced by the Chief Statistician.  This follows unrevised 0.1% growth in September 2023.  

21/12/2023

Independent Living Fund Reopens For New Applicants

The Independent Living Fund, which supports disabled people, is to reopen to new applicants after receiving £9 million investment as part of the 2024-25 Scottish Budget.   The funding forms part of the £19.5 billion budget for NHS recovery, health and social care and will support around 1,000 new applicants.  

21/12/2023

Trusts And Succession Bill Passed - Modernising The Law On Trusts, Succession And Executors

Minister for Victims and Community Safety Siobhian Brown has welcomed the Scottish Parliament's backing for new laws that will prevent killers from acting as an executor on their victim's estate.   MSPs voted unanimously to pass the Trusts and Succession (Scotland) Bill, which will close this loophole, allowing a court to remove someone convicted of murder or culpable homicide from a previously nominated role of executor.  

21/12/2023

Check Your Pay Call To People In Christmas Jobs

Seasonal staff should check their pay to make sure they are being paid correctly.   Festive workers who may be missing out on the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage are being urged to check their pay.  

21/12/2023

UK House Price Index for October 2023

UK house prices fell by 1.2% in the year to October 2023, compared with 0.  6% in September 2023.  

21/12/2023

Be Wary Of Rogue Business Rates Agents

If you want an agent to manage your business rates, use our checklist to choose one.  Don't let an agent choose you.  

20/12/2023

 
Income Tax Changes For 2024/25 In Scotland

The Scottish Parliament has the power to set Income Tax rates and bands for the non-savings non-dividend (NSND) income of Scottish taxpayers.   The Scottish Parliament must pass a Scottish Rate Resolution before the start of the tax year setting Income Tax policy for the year ahead.  

20/12/2023

Scottish Budget 2024 to 2025: Deputy First Minister statement

Presiding Officer, it is an enormous privilege to present my first budget.   One that is built on our values.  

20/12/2023

Scottish Budget 2024/25 - Analysis

The Scottish tax and social security system is progressive: the higher a household's income, the greater the share of their income they pay in tax, and the less they receive in social security.   Differences in Scottish and UK Government policies since the devolution of tax and social security powers in 2016 have increased this progressivity.  

20/12/2023

Scottish Tax Ready Reckoners - Direct Effects Of Illustrative Tax Changes For 2024-25

This note presents a set of ready reckoners which show the estimated revenue impact of illustrative changes to Scottish Tax policy in 2024-25, including Income Tax, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Non-Domestic Rates (NDR), relative to the policies announced for 2024-25.   Summary This note presents a set of ready reckoners which show the estimated revenue impact of illustrative changes to Scottish Tax policy in 2024-25, including Income Tax, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Non-Domestic Rates (NDR), relative to the policies announced for 2024-25.  

20/12/2023

 
Scottish Budget - Non-domestic Rates

Non-Domestic Rates (NDR), sometimes referred to as business rates, are a form of property tax paid by businesses, charities and public sector organisations, which help pay for local services.  The amount of NDR paid is determined by applying the relevant tax rate to a property's rateable value (RV), less any reliefs that have been awarded.  

20/12/2023

 
Scottish Budget Under Pressure Despite Higher Tax Revenues

The Scottish Fiscal Commission today said that the Scottish Government's budget next year is set to increase by £1.3 billion from the latest figure for 2023-24.  This is a rise of 2.6 per cent in cash terms or 0.9 percent after accounting for inflation.  

20/12/2023

2024-25 Scottish Budget unveiled

A £6.3 billion investment in social security and more than £19.5 billion for health and social care form the heart of the Scottish Budget for next year, alongside record funding for local authorities and frontline police and fire services.   With targeted funding to invest in public services and protect the most vulnerable, the Budget underpins the social contract with the people of Scotland, Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary Shona Robison told Parliament.  

20/12/2023

 
Scottish Budget - Income Tax To Raise £18.8 Billion - New Rate Band For Earners Over £75,000

New band to provide additional revenue for public services.   A new income tax band will raise additional revenue to deliver high quality public services and support the social contract with Scotland's people, Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary Shona Robison has announced.  

20/12/2023

Scottish Budget - Land And Buildings Transaction Tax

Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is a fully devolved tax which came into effect from 1 April 2015.  It applies to residential and non-residential land and buildings transactions (including commercial leases) where a chargeable interest is acquired.  

20/12/2023

Scottish Budget - Local Council Funding

Helping households through the cost of living crisis by making available an additional £144 million of funding to councils who agree to fully fund a council tax freeze in 2024‑25 (equivalent to a five per cent increase).   Combined with the other support being provided to local government this will increase their overall funding by six per cent since the last budget.