How we’re making Scottish Income Tax fairer
by The Scottish Parliament has approved our Income Tax proposals for 2018-19 that will make our tax system even fairer and invest more in our vital public services.
Here’s what you need to know.
7 in 10 taxpayers will pay less
From 1 April, 70 per cent of taxpayers in Scotland will pay less in Income Tax than they do now, including everyone earning less than £33,000. And, for the majority of taxpayers, Scotland is the lowest taxed part of the UK.
More will be invested in vital public services
In the coming year, the Scottish budget will:
- invest £400 million extra in our NHS;
- deliver £120 million direct to schools to reduce the attainment gap between children from the least and most disadvantaged backgrounds;
- increase day to day spending on local council services;
- protect the frontline police budget; and
- invest nearly a quarter of a billion in our plan to near double provision of early years education and childcare.
Taxpayers benefit from the best deal anywhere in the UK
This year Scottish taxpayers will benefit from:
- lower Council Tax bills than in England – by almost £500 per year;
- a 3 per cent pay rise for public servants earning less than £36,500;
- higher health spending than the UK average and free prescriptions;
- no university tuition fees; and
- free personal and nursing care protected and expanded to under 65s who need it.
Read the full list of reasons why Scotland is the best deal for taxpayers in the UK, here.
Labour and Tory tax proposals don’t add up
The Tories want to cut public services by £500 million to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest. And Labour haven’t applied basic economic rules to their fantasy tax proposals – meaning their sums on how much they would raise could be miles out.
Only the SNP has delivered a credible budget that invests in public services and makes Income Tax fairer.