Residents get ‘best’ council tax deal, says MSP Tom

Figures reveal those south of the border pay far more

Renfrewshire residents are among those getting the ‘best deal’ in Britain on council tax, insists MSP Tom Arthur.

Figures show households pay, on average, £611 less on council tax than those in England and £422 less than in Wales.

And in neighbouring East Renfrewshire, taxpayers pay, on average, £631 a year less than they would in England and £442 less than in Wales.

Band D council taxpayers in Renfrewshire will pay £1,355 for 2022/23, which is £611 less than the equivalent in England and £422 less than in Wales.

Band D council taxpayers in neighbouring East Renfrewshire will pay £1,335, which is £631 less than the equivalent in England and £442 less than in Wales.

Mr Arthur, SNP MSP for Renfrewshire South, said: “Council taxpayers across Scotland get the best deal in Britain.

“On top of the £150 council tax rebate announced last month by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, this demonstrates that the Scottish Government is doing all it can within its restricted powers and resources to keep as much money as possible in the pockets of Scottish families.

“Council tax bills in Renfrewshire are so substantially lower because the SNP has such a strong record of delivering the best value.

“For an entire decade, the SNP Scottish Government froze the cost of council tax - despite Westminster continuing to slash the Scottish budget.”

Council tax across Scotland is lower than in England. For 2022/23, the average band D council tax bill in Scotland is £1,347, compared to £1,966 in England and £1,777 in Wales.

For 2022/23, the average charge for all property bands, including E, F, G and H, is between £413 and £651 lower in Scotland than England.

The average council tax increase in Scotland for 2022/23 was three per cent, compared with 3.5 per cent in England and 2.7 per cent in Wales.

Mr Arthur added: “The SNP Scottish Government is also rolling out a social security system based on fairness and respect.

“It has introduced the game-changing Scottish Child Payment, which will deliver £25 per week per child for the lowest income families in Renfrewshire – and we are increasing a range of Scottish social security benefits by six per cent.

“It is a glaring contrast with the Westminster Tory government which, far from protecting hard-pressed families from the spiralling Tory cost of living crisis, it callously cut vital Universal Credit support by £20 a week for the poorest families.

“This is a real tale of two governments and the people of Scotland will have the opportunity to send a message to Boris Johnson by rejecting the Tories in the local elections on May 5.”

For an entire decade, the SNP Scottish Government froze the cost of council tax – despite Westminster continuing to slash the Scottish budget