For immediate release:

SNP ANNOUNCES COUNCIL TAX FREEZE NEXT YEAR

Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey has welcomed an announcement from the First Minister that council tax rates will be frozen in the next financial year to support people struggling with the effects of high UK inflation.

The freeze will benefit every Council Tax-payer in Scotland at a time when rising prices are putting significant strain on household finances.

The Scottish Government will fully fund the freeze to ensure councils can maintain their services.

Commenting, Ms Haughey said:

“People’s budgets have been decimated by soaring UK inflation and record-high energy costs.

“Although such matters are the responsibility of the UK Government, the Scottish Government is committed to doing what it can with its own powers to protect household budgets – including with council tax.

“Council tax is already lower in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK, but we know people are struggling. Next year’s council tax freeze will go a long way in keeping money in people’s pockets.

“For a Band D property, people in Scotland already pay £463 less than they would if they lived in Labour-run Wales and £648 less than in Tory-run England.

“The council tax freeze will bring much needed financial relief to the 2.5 million households in Scotland – whilst, at the same time, the Scottish Government is providing a real-terms increase to local government revenue funding this financial year.”

Other measures announced by the First Minister at the SNP’s conference in Aberdeen include an extra £300 million to reduce NHS waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients by 2026, the launching of a new fund for women experiencing domestic abuse to pay for the essentials they need when leaving a relationship with an abusive partner, and more than doubling arts and culture funding over the next 5 years. ENDS