Council Tax

Sick of soaring bills? They’re not all going up

The household bill that costs less than 10 years ago

John Swinney urged to ditch 'eye-watering' mansion tax plans

Edinburgh's fortunes won't be helped by discouraging wealthy people (Picture: Peter Summers)

£30K council tax?! Edinburgh's plans for second homes will harm city Brian Monteith

The new council tax premium is set to come into force in January 2027. Picture: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty

Exclusive Edinburgh set to roll out 300% second homes tax

Police and protesters clash in central London during riots that followed the Conservatives’ introduction of the community charge, aka the ‘poll tax’ (Picture: Peter Macdiarmid)

How the poll tax left a lasting legacy that still blights Scotland Brian Wilson

The majority of mansions in Scotland are in Edinburgh.

SNP's £16m 'mansion tax' threatens 'lasting harm' to housing market

First Minister John Swinney with Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary Jenny Gilruth

Councils poised to 'stop or reduce services' amid £529m budget gap

The Scottish government faces calls to overhaul the council tax system

Calls for council tax reform as thousands of Scots in debt

Sir Keir Starmer seemed relaxed on Wednesday

Analysis Keir Starmer like a man liberated by death row as he turns on patter

Roz Foyer, STUC general secretary

Trade union chief to call for reform to 'broken' council tax system

Co-leaders Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer launch the Scottish Greens' manifesto.

Green manifesto would 'cement Scotland as highest taxed part of UK'

Downward escalator for money

‘Downward escalator’ for youth living beyond their means

Council tax is going up again across Scotland.

Every Council Tax Rise in Scotland 2026: All 32 councils' tax plans

Council tax is going up again across Scotland.

Council Tax Rises in Scotland 2026: All 32 local authorities' hikes

The council says tough decisions need to be made.

'Tough decisions' needed to close Scottish council's £134m funding gap

In 2007, the SNP were elected on a manifesto that committed to replacing the council tax (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell)

Why SNP have spent 20 years failing to ditch the council tax Murdo Fraser

Cosla demands next Scottish government 'scrap and replace' council tax

First-time buyers said that facing multiple upfront costs in a short space of time was the number one part of the homebuying process they wished they could avoid.

Mortgage expert sauys what buyers should do to avoid headaches

Andrea Manson owed more than £170,000 to HMRC.

Councillor banned as company director over £170,000 unpaid taxes

A council tax bill

Scotland must reform 'broken' council tax system, says leading charity

Finance secretary Shona Robison

Exclusive Scotland must raise taxes or face spending cuts, new report warns

Edinburgh Council is set to ask the Scottish Government to explore a ‘more progressive’ taxation system, if plans are approved by councillors.

Council tax set to rise by 5 per cent according to draft budget

We were given a cash reward for just checking if our bills could be reduced

This bill-checking service paid me to see if I could save money

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar in Glasgow in December (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Readers' Letters: Here's how Labour can improve popularity

I didn’t expect the reward to go straight to my bank - but it did

I tried an AI bill-switching service and it paid me £5 just to check

Shona Robison

SNP MSP warns over council tax hikes amid extra Westminster funds hope

First Minister John Swinney and Finance Secretary Shona Robison unveiling the 2026/27 Scottish budget.

Council taxes will rise because of the SNP budget settlement- Cosla

Council Tax bills look set to rise

Scots braced for council tax hikes amid 'largest' funding cut

A view of Edinburgh, where the local authority has received more than £12m in council tax overpayments

Local authorities receive more than £46m in council tax overpayments

Cruachan Power Station

Exclusive Public called to change relationship with water as charges set to rise

Council tax is a local charge collected by councils to fund essential community services (Photo: Pexels)

How your council tax payments are used by authorities across the UK

Charity Marie Curie is urging more councils to exempt terminally ill people from paying council tax

Thousands may soon stop paying council tax under new charity campaign

A home often has a greater value to those who live there than its market valuation as a property (Picture: Carl Court)

SNP needs to realise a home is much more than a financial asset Scotsman comment

Council tax vary depending on where in Scotland you live.

Council tax reform options tabled with 'jaw-dropping' hike for some

Roz Foyer, general secretary of the STUC, speaking at SNP conference.

SNP cuts 'a gift to the far right', says Scotland's top trade unionist

The Scottish Greens want the time limit for council tax arrears in Scotland to be brought in line with England. Pic: National World

MSPs set to vote on cutting 'unpayable' council tax debt in Scotland

St Andrew's House is the Scottish Government's headquarters, based in Edinburgh.

SNP rules out £6bn of tax rises to pay for minimum income guarantee

Money stacked on top of a council tax bill

Scotland's political parties urged to commit to abolishing council tax

(Photo: Pexels)

7 of the most overlooked ways over-60s can cut weekly bills

The public answers what they'd do with an extra £100.

Watch: How you'd spend spare £100 as bills rise by £36bn

Council tax bands are based on valuations from 1991

MSPs vote down council tax reform despite agreeing situation 'absurd'

Someone looks at an empty wallet

The Hidden Crisis: mounting debts leaving people isolated and fearful
The Hidden Crisis: mounting debts leave people across Scotland isolated and fearful On average people in Scotland who come to the charity CAP Scotland for debt ...

Money stacked on top of a council tax bill. PIC: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

SNP 'incompetence' blamed as report reveals 'titanic' council fund gap

McGlynn was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh. Pic: Ian Georgeson

Ex-council employee who embezzled over £1m ordered to repay £165k

The amendments would see more taxes for holiday let owners.

Scottish holiday let owners to face tax hikes under new proposals

Money stacked on top of a council tax bill. PIC: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Plans tabled for first council tax revaluation in more than 30 years

Council tax levels have been set for the year ahead

Further increases to council bosses' salaries on the horizon

Do the maths – spreading your payments over 12 months instead of ten will save you money (Picture: stock.adobe.com)

Council tax is going up – so can you cut it?

Gareth used a company’s online quote service to see if he could save some money

How I saved £140 a month on bills during ‘Awful April’

Energy and water bills, as well as ScotRail fares, are among those all going up on April 1

Here are all the bills going up today in Scotland

(Photo: Justin TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Steep April price hikes: the household bills set to rise

Bills going up in April will stretch household budgets even further

Why Tuesday is 'April Cruel Day' as 'devastating' bill hikes hit Derek Mitchell

Council tax vary depending on where in Scotland you live.

Cheapest Council Tax in Scotland 2025: The 10 lowest bills

Robyn Swan moved out of her home to live rent-free in a container in rural Scotland, growing her own food and harvesting rainwater. She is pictured with her pet sheep and dogs. Photo: Robyn Swan / SWNS

'I sold all my belongings to live rent-free in a container'

The amount of council tax you pay depends on where you live in Scotland.

Most Expensive Council Tax in Scotland 2025: The 10 priciest bills

How much will your council tax go up this year?

Council Tax Rises in Scotland 2025: All 32 councils' tax hikes

The Scotsman Top Stories

Scotland has failed to meet its latest target for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the latest official figures show. Picture: John Giles/PA Wire

Fail: Scotland misses climate target

Pro-independence protesters with Scottish Saltire flags (top) march for Scottish independence. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

Yousaf: Growing popular support for Yes the only way to Scottish independence

Nadine Dorries. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

SNP MP cleared of bullying Nadine Dorries