Calling all fellow Scots – unless you live in beautiful Shetland, your council tax is going up! Let me explain why…
Council taxes pay for all sorts of services in your local area, like bin collections, road maintenance and street lighting. Council tax was frozen across Scotland in 2020 but the Scottish government has for the first time given local authorities leeway to charge as much as they like in the next financial year, which starts this month.
So, councils will be increasing council tax in Scotland across the board – the rises so far range between 1.9% and 3%, but Shetland’s council decided to freeze its rates instead. Bad luck if you live in Falkirk, where rates are going up 4%!
However, the government is announcing a pot of £120m will be given to local authorities to help soften the blow and there is also a £150 rebate on council tax being given to those living in bands A – D.
Remember that wherever you live in the country, you qualify for a 25% discount if you live alone and you may also be eligible for reductions in your council tax if you’re on a low income or benefits.
Check out your local authority’s financial webpages for more info.
