Scottish Budget LIVE: Tax plans, spending and cuts revealed as Shona Robison unveils SNP Government Budget
Finance Secretary Shona Robison has this afternoon set out draft tax and spending plans for next year in her Scottish Budget statement.
The Scottish Government has announced the two-child cap on benefits will be scrapped north of the Border as she pledged record spending for both the NHS and councils in next year’s Budget.
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Hide AdSpending has also been outlined for the commitment to introduce an additional winter fuel payment next year of between £100 and £300 for each Scottish pensioner.
Today, we have learned the Government’s position on council and income tax, as well as its priorities in general as the country heads towards an election in 2026.
Stay tuned right here for every development throughout the afternoon.
Scottish Budget 2025-26 Live
Growing pains
IPPR Scotland claimed the Budget made things very tight for the remainder of this parliament “and beyond”.
Stephen Boyd, director of IPPR Scotland, said: “Having consistently called for its removal, IPPR Scotland welcomes the Cabinet Secretary’s intention to scrap the two-child cap and lift 15,000 children out of poverty. This will bring Scotland closer to meeting its long-term ambition of ending child poverty for good.
“The speech also included other positive announcements, such as reversing last year’s cut of £200 million from the social housing budget and ensuring ScotWind monies are retained for long-term capital investment. However, on both these issues, the Scottish Government has done no more than return to the situation prevailing before last year’s budget.
“While we look forward to reading the full detail contained in the budget papers, the Scottish budget does now look very tight over the remainder of this parliament and beyond. It would be disappointing if another emergency in-year review was required. The Cabinet Secretary also had little to say about the tax strategy published today which we look forward to analysing in detail over coming days.
“IPPR Scotland continues to have concerns over how some spending decisions are being made in Scotland and will publish more on this matter over coming days”.
Build me up, buttercup
Scottish Government has been urged to build on its housing announcement with multi-year funding settlement.
Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Chief Executive Sally Thomas said: “Whilst no single Budget was ever going to be enough to end the housing emergency, it is hugely welcome that the Scottish Government has listened to SFHA and partners and reversed last year’s hammer-blow cut. As the Cabinet Secretary herself set out, having a warm, safe and affordable home is critical to eradicating child poverty.
“And beyond a one-year settlement, we hope this marks a much-needed reset on the Scottish Government’s approach to social housing. We look forward to working constructively with them to explore how they can provide a multi-year funding settlement for housing following the UK Government’s Spending Review next year.
“It’s only with sustained public investment that Scotland can benefit from the full potential of our housing associations to tackle the record levels of homelessness, reduce poverty, boost economic growth, and chart a roadmap out of our housing emergency.”
That's all folks
Well, that was, at the very least, a Budget. Huge investment from the Scottish Government, but in some cases simply undoing their own cuts, or rehashing old pledges, such as on NHS waiting lists.
There’ll be plenty of reaction and analysis to come, and for all that and more, stick with The Scotsman.
Thanks for spending the afternoon with us, I for one need to stop thinking about finances for a bit.
Look after yourselves, and have a wonderful evening.
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