The Scottish Budget 2024/25: widening the divergence

As we noted in last year’s review of the Scottish Budget 2023/24 (Tax Journal 13 January 2023) in its Programme for Government 2021/22 the Scottish government had promised stability in relation to rates of both income tax and land and buildings transaction tax. The Scottish Budget for 2023/24 (December 2022) swept this away with increases in the two (then) highest rates of Scottish income tax; and in the additional dwelling supplement (ADS) the extra 6% land and buildings transaction tax payable in relation to dwellings in Scotland other than main residences. This trend at least in relation to income tax continued in the Scottish Budget for 2024/25 which was delivered on 19 December 2023. Unsurprisingly the most recent Programme for Government (for...