Council Tax Reduction for almost half a million Scots

Scotland’s Chief Statistician today released the latest Council Tax Reduction statistics. In March 2019, Scotland’s Council Tax Reduction scheme supported 477,800 households and the total weekly income forgone by local authorities was £6.4 million.

The total number of Council Tax Reduction recipients in Scotland was 14 per cent (74,580 recipients) lower in March 2019 than it was at the beginning of the scheme in April 2013. In general, this fall has been gradual, punctuated by small rises each January to March. Since April 2017, reforms to Council Tax and to Council Tax Reduction exerted an upward pressure on recipient numbers. However, this is against a backdrop of a long-term downward trend since April 2013.

The agreement between the Scottish Government and local authorities, permitting them to raise Council Tax by up to 3 per cent, is also reflected in  the  increase in income forgone between March 2017 and March 2019 of almost £191,000 per week. 

Background

The Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme reduces the Council Tax liability of low income households in Scotland.

The full statistical publication is available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-reduction-scotland-annual-report-2018-19/

This publication contains figures on Council Tax Reduction recipients and income forgone by local authorities; and further analysis relating to age, gender, family status, deprivation on a caseload and weekly award of CTR covering the time period from April 2018 to March 2019.  Statistics for each month from April 2013 are available.

The information published is used by The Scottish Government, COSLA and local authorities to monitor the number of people receiving Council Tax Reduction and the amounts being spent on the scheme. The figures are used to help allocate funding for future years.

Tables showing Council Tax Reduction recipients and income forgone in each local authority are published for each quarter. This news release provides the annual compendium, covering the year from April 2018 to March 2019.

Further information on Council Tax Reduction statistics, including previous publications can be accessed at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Local-Government-Finance/CTR

Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/About