{"id":18419,"date":"2024-12-04T17:16:32","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T17:16:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/scottish-budget-2025-26-at-a-glance\/"},"modified":"2024-12-04T17:16:32","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T17:16:32","slug":"scottish-budget-2025-26-at-a-glance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/scottish-budget-2025-26-at-a-glance\/","title":{"rendered":"Scottish Budget 2025-26: At a glance"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Finance Secretary Shona Robison has announced her tax and spending plans for the next financial year.<\/p>\n
She told the Scottish Parliament her proposals were focused on her government’s main priority: the eradication of child poverty.<\/p>\n
Here is a summary of the main measures.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Tax changes<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Income tax rates frozen until 2026.<\/li>\n
No new bands for the remainder of this parliament.<\/li>\n
Basic and intermediate rate thresholds will increase by 3.5%.<\/li>\n
These will remain at that level for the rest of this parliament.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Benefits<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Investment to allow the mitigation of the two-child cap from 2026.<\/li>\n
Funding for universal winter heating payments for older people. <\/li>\n
\u00a36.9bn total investment in social security including the Scottish Child Payment.<\/li>\n
Almost \u00a3800m more in social security benefits in 2025-26<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
NHS and social care<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
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Ms Robison promised a record investment in the NHS<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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\u00a32bn overall increase in frontline NHS spending, taking overall health and social care investment to \u00a321bn. <\/li>\n
\u00a3200m invested in plan to reduce waiting times and improve capacity, with a vow to make the system more efficient and reduce bed blocking.<\/li>\n
A pledge that by March 2026 no one will wait longer than 12 months for a new outpatient appointment, inpatient treatment or day case treatment.<\/li>\n
Additional support for GPs, targeted to address known pressures in relation to waiting times and prevention.<\/li>\n
Expansion of the Hospital at Home service, allowing more eye procedures and hip replacements.<\/li>\n
Increased capital spending funding a new Eye Pavillion in Edinburgh, Belford Hospital in Fort Williams and Monklands Hospital in Airdrie.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Housing and homelessness<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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A \u00a3768m investment in affordable homes.<\/li>\n
More than 8,000 new social rent, mid-market rent and low-cost ownership properties.<\/li>\n
New \u00a34m of funding to tackle homelessness and to fund prevention pilots.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Education <\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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A real-terms uplift of 3% for spending on education and skills to maintain teacher levels and invest in school infrastructure.<\/li>\n
New funding to put more breakfast clubs in primary schools.<\/li>\n
A promise to protect free university tuition and a 3.5% increase in total investment in higher education.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Council tax and local authorities<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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No cap on by how much local authorities can raise council tax.<\/li>\n
An extra \u00a31bn of government funding.<\/li>\n
Councils to receive a “record” more than \u00a315bn for services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Justice and policing<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
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A new prison is being funded to replace Barlinnie in Glasgow<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Almost \u00a34.2bn funding across the justice system in 2025-26. <\/li>\n
This includes \u00a31.62bn for policing and a pledge to maintain police numbers.<\/li>\n
An extra \u00a33m to tackle retail crime such as shoplifting.<\/li>\n
\u00a3347m for the prison estate to build new prisons in Glasgow and Inverness.<\/li>\n
\u00a3159m for community justice services to support the wider use of community interventions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Climate<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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A total of \u00a34.9bn for action on the climate and nature crises to lower emissions and energy bills, protect the environment, and create new jobs and opportunities.<\/li>\n
Almost \u00a390m to protect, maintain and increase woodlands and peatlands.<\/li>\n
Investment of \u00a3190m to make it easier for people to walk, wheel or cycle, and invest in resilient, efficient bus services.<\/li>\n
Expansion of the electric vehicle charging network.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Other spending<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\u00a36m for the National Islands Plan to deliver infrastructure projects designed in partnership with islanders to support successful and resilient island communities.<\/li>\n
A \u00a334m uplift for culture in 2025-26.<\/li>\n
More than \u00a3660m for rural communities to support farmers, crofters and the wider rural economy.<\/li>\n
More than \u00a32.6bn towards public transport to support bus, rail and ferry services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n
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