Minister urges those eligible to apply for support.
Scottish households have saved more than £3.5 billion in council
tax since the Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme was introduced a
decade ago.
The latest figures published by the Scottish Government show
460,860 recipients received CTR in October 2023, meaning
one-in-five households were benefiting from the scheme.
People on low incomes are eligible for CTR if they live in
Scotland – there is no equivalent benefit in England where most
councils require each household to contribute a minimum amount of
council tax, irrespective of ability to do so.
People who receive CTR save on average £800 a year and become
eligible for up to 35% off their water and waste charges.
As part of the 2024-25 Scottish Budget the Deputy First Minister
also made £144 million available to enable local authorities to
freeze Council Tax rates at their current levels, benefitting
every Council Tax payer in Scotland.
Public Finance Minister said:
“The Council Tax Reduction scheme celebrated its tenth
anniversary in April and these latest figures show the scale of
support it has provided to people in Scotland over the last
decade.
“Our social contract with the people of Scotland means we are
committed to giving an extra helping hand through targeted
additional support to those who need it most and it is important
everyone is aware of the help that is available to them.
“Some people are also eligible for other council tax discounts or
sometimes full exemptions, including students, people with
disabilities and carers amongst others.
“I urge people to check their eligibility for council tax
reduction , council tax discounts and other financial support by
visiting our online resources or by contacting their local
council.”
Background:
People can check whether they are eligible for Council Tax
Reduction through mygov.scot or by
contacting their local council.
Details of other help available including extra financial support
or for things like food, heating and electricity can be found on
the Scottish Government’s cost of living crisis support
website.
Council Tax Reduction:
April 2013 to October 2023 were published on 12 December
2023.
