Scottish Budget at a glance

TAX

Following last year’s income tax reform which increased higher rates and brought in two additional income tax bands, this year no changes were made to rates and no new bands were introduced or removed.

zThe starter and basic rate bands of 19p and 20p respectively will increase in line with inflation, while the threshold for the higher rate of tax was frozen at £43,430, unlike the rest of the UK where it will rise to £50,000 in April.

zBusiness rates increases will be capped below inflation at 2.1%.

zRates and bands for residential land and buildings transaction tax have been frozen, while for non-residential the lower rate has been cut from 3% to 1%, the upper rate increased from 4.5% to 5% and the threshold for this rate cut by £100,000 to £250,000.

zThe additional dwelling supplement will increase from 3% to 4%.

zzHEALTH Spending on NHS health and care services will rise by £729 million including a 4.2% rise in cash for frontline NHS boards to £430m.

Reform investment will rise by £149m, the majority of which, £90m, will go to improving waiting times.

zInvestment in social care and integration will rise to more than £700m which includes the £120m being transferred from health to local government for integration and school counselling services as well as £40m on to local government to extend free personal care to under-65s.

zEDUCATION

The total education and skills budget will rise by £36m to £3.4 billion.

z£180m will go towards closing the attainment gap, with £120m of this going to head teachers through the pupil equity fund.

zUniversity funding will sit at more than £1bn for universities with colleges being given more than £600m.

zLOCAL GOVERNMENT Total funding for both the revenue and capital budget in the local government settlement is up more than £210m with overall Scottish Government support to local government at £11.1bn.

zThis includes core funding and cash from other areas but council umbrella body Cosla argues, due to money already committed and ring-fencing, both core capital and revenue budgets have been cut by 2%, at £198m and £207m respectively.

zPUBLIC SECTOR PAY Public sector workers earning up to £36,500 will have a pay rise of 3%, more than the rate of inflation.

zThis pay bill is capped at 2% both for people earning between £36,500 and £80,000, and any increase for those earning more than £80,000 to £1,600.

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