Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has branded the SNP government’s consultation on Council Tax a “scandal”, revealing that the changes would hit 92,971 households in Edinburgh.
The SNP government is currently consulting on plans to hike Council Tax for properties in bands E to H – which would hit 39% per cent of households in Scotland’s capital.
People in the area could face increases of up to around £800.
This consultation follows years of ‘brutal’ budget cuts to Council budgets by the SNP government.
Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “Years of brutal cuts by the SNP has local services in [AREA] at breaking point, and now the government wants to plug the gaps with eye-watering Council Tax hikes of up to around £800.
“It is a scandal that ordinary Scots are once again being asked to pay more while getting less in return.
“This damaging Council Tax bombshell will hit more than 92,000 households in Edinburgh during the worst cost of living crisis in decades, piling pressure on people already facing impossible financial decisions.
“Scots struggling with rising housing costs should be getting support from their government – but instead they are being asked to foot the bill for the SNP’s failure.
“Labour will stand up for people struggling with soaring living costs and fight for a fair deal for Edinburgh.”
BUT WHAT WOULD LABOUR ACTUALLY DO? REPLACE THE COUNCIL TAX? – Ed.
| Local Authority | Homes in bandsE to H | % of homes affected | Potential increase |
| Scotland | 715,312 | 28% | |
| Aberdeen City | 32,653 | 29% | £821.11 |
| Aberdeenshire | 50,873 | 43% | £768.12 |
| Angus | 13,159 | 23% | £725.82 |
| Argyll & Bute | 14,963 | 32% | £815.41 |
| City of Edinburgh | 92,971 | 39% | £798.04 |
| Clackmannanshire | 6,413 | 26% | £777.79 |
| Dumfries & Galloway | 18,870 | 26% | £735.84 |
| Dundee City | 10,438 | 15% | £819.39 |
| East Ayrshire | 11,447 | 20% | £819.95 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 25,470 | 54% | £780.38 |
| East Lothian | 18,193 | 36% | £791.39 |
| East Renfrewshire | 22,623 | 57% | £780.14 |
| Falkirk | 18,080 | 24% | £751.81 |
| Fife | 45,056 | 26% | £763.58 |
| Glasgow City | 49,501 | 17% | £826.32 |
| Highland | 34,143 | 29% | £786.73 |
| Inverclyde | 7,148 | 19% | £788.16 |
| Midlothian | 12,374 | 29% | £834.99 |
| Moray | 9,555 | 22% | £788.67 |
| Na h-Eileanan Siar | 1,559 | 11% | £711.53 |
| North Ayrshire | 14,387 | 21% | £800.48 |
| North Lanarkshire | 30,482 | 20% | £728.08 |
| Orkney Islands | 1,918 | 17% | £754.78 |
| Perth & Kinross | 26,906 | 37% | £773.78 |
| Renfrewshire | 22,492 | 26% | £791.69 |
| Scottish Borders | 16,513 | 29% | £747.56 |
| Shetland Islands | 1,871 | 17% | £694.91 |
| South Ayrshire | 18,497 | 34% | £801.05 |
| South Lanarkshire | 41,065 | 27% | £717.07 |
| Stirling | 17,655 | 44% | £816.68 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 7,403 | 17% | £771.19 |
| West Lothian | 20,634 | 25% | £766.77 |
Source: Chargeable Dwellings: Sep 2022 data:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/
Scottish Government Council Tax Consultation:
https://www.gov.scot/news/council-tax-consultation/
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