SNP SCHEME SAVES SCOTTISH HOUSEHOLDS £6.4 MILLION

Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MSP Alasdair Allan has welcomed new figures showing that 2160 households in the Western Isles benefitted from the SNP Government’s Council Tax Reduction scheme in March 2019.

The scheme helps provides financial support to low income households. Every week in March, £25,600 of savings were made to the total Western Isles Council tax bill.

Between 2013/14 and the end of 2018/19 the SNP Government invested over £1.4 billion into the Council Tax Reduction Scheme – recently extending the scheme to include higher band households who fall below average earnings up to a maximum of £25,000 net income.

The move has helped support an extra 54,000 households in Scotland – a third of them pensioner households.

Commenting, Alasdair Allan MSP said:

“In the face of huge cuts from the UK Tory government, the SNP has managed to help almost half a million households every year with their council tax bill.

“Just under 80% of those households are totally exempt from council tax thanks to the scheme.

“In March alone, the Council Tax Reduction scheme has helped 2160 households in the Western Isles – saving local families an estimated £25,600 a week in March.

“I would encourage anyone who thinks they might be eligible for a reduction in their council tax to get in touch with their local Citizen’s Advice Bureau for advice.”