The SNP’s refusal to enact a key business rates reform will cost Edinburgh businesses millions of pounds, says Scottish Conservative MSP Miles Briggs.
For 2018/19 £340.474 million was raised by taxing Edinburgh businesses, the second highest of any local authority.
The SNP keeping rates linked to RPI (Retail Price Index) instead of CPI (consumer price index) will cost Edinburgh ratepayers approximately £3.07 million.
The SNP Government have refused to commit to a key business rates reform that would permanently link the poundage rate, which determines the amount of tax companies have to pay, to the CPI measure of inflation.
The UK Government have already made the move from RPI to CPI in last year’s budget.
Edinburgh companies will clearly suffer if they have to pay higher business rates than companies in the rest of the UK.
RPI? CPI? WTF?
Miles Briggs, Scottish Conservative Lothian MSP, said: “The SNP government’s refusal to link business rates to CPI instead of RPI means that companies in Edinburgh are paying hundreds of pounds more in business rates every year.
“If the SNP government continues to use RPI to determine business rates instead of CPI it could cost Edinburgh businesses millions in additional rates during their term in office.
“Edinburgh businesses are being hit hard by business rates and the move to CPI would be fairer and put Edinburgh businesses under less financial pressure.”
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