Scots could face a council tax hike as the Scottish Government confirmed its freeze has ended.
SNP Finance Secretary Shona Robison urged local authorities not to raise their rates during the Scottish Budget on Wednesday afternoon.
Last year, she announced a hastily-arranged council tax freeze which angered local councils struggling under the weight of increased inflation.
But on Wednesday, she announced a “record” increase in funding for local authorities, and warned against sizeable tax rises.
Each council will be able to choose their own rates of council tax, with some threatening to do so last year before negotiations with the SNP Government.
“In 2025-26, the Scottish Government will increase local authority funding by more than £1 billion,” Robison told MSPs.
“It will take their total funding to over £15 billion, including £289 million to give real-terms protection to the general revenue grant.
“While it will be for councils to make their own decisions with record funding, there is no reason for big increases in council tax next year.”
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