Council Tax Hikes Loom in Scotland: Edinburgh, Glasgow Face Increases

Hey, so Scotland’s council taxes are going up. They might rise way more than inflation! A freeze on tax hikes is ending in April, meaning councils can now raise taxes as much as they want.

Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow, and others vote soon to decide rates for 2025/26 on Thursday. These councils have big budget problems due to rising costs. They might raise taxes to fix things, as North Lanarkshire and Borders might raise rates by 10%.

Glasgow could see a 7% increase, while Edinburgh and Fife may go up around 8%. East Lothian already confirmed a 10% increase. Band D households in East Lothian will pay more, specifically £1,579.18 each year, up from £1,435.62, a noticeable difference.

The Scottish Government promised councils lots of money, calling the £15 billion settlement “fair,” believing this should limit tax increases.

East Lothian, however, says their funding is low. They get the third-lowest funding per person in Scotland and are also one of the fastest-growing areas. The other councils decide within five weeks, each determining its tax increase.