Council Tax Reduction supports over 450,000 households

Scotland’s Chief Statistician today released the latest annual Council Tax Reduction statistics. In March 2022, Scotland’s Council Tax Reduction scheme supported 462,670 households (compared to 496,580 in March 2021) and the total weekly income forgone by local authorities was £6.829 million (compared to £7.328 million in March 2021).

The total number of CTR recipients in Scotland decreased over the course of 2021-22 with the largest decrease of 1.7 per cent observed in January 2022 compared to the previous month. February 2022 saw the lowest level of CTR recipients ever recorded, with numbers marginally increasing to 462,670 in March 2022, which halts the downward trend observed in the previous nine months but still means the number of CTR recipients is near a historic low. The decrease in numbers is likely to be driven by economic and employment conditions recovering after the pandemic.

The total number of Council Tax Reduction recipients in Scotland is now 16 per cent (89,710 recipients) lower in March 2022 than it was when the scheme began (April 2013).

The agreement secured with local authorities to freeze Council Tax in 2021-22 and the reduction in CTR recipients is also reflected in the decrease in income forgone. 

Background

The Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme reduces the Council Tax liability of lower income households in Scotland. The publication is available here.

The publication contains figures on Council Tax Reduction recipients and income forgone by local authorities; and further analysis relating to age, gender, family status, deprivation on caseload and weekly award of CTR. This publication therefore covers the period when the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic was ongoing and makes references to the previously published annual statistics from March 2021 for comparative purposes.

The information published is used by the Scottish Government, interested bodies and the general public to monitor the number of people receiving Council Tax Reduction and the amounts being spent on the scheme. The figures are used to help allocate funding for future years.

Tables showing Council Tax Reduction recipients and income forgone in each local authority are published monthly. This news release provides the annual compendium and supplements the monthly release for the data period up to March 2022 published on 24 May 2022.

Further information on Council Tax Reduction statistics, including previous publications can be accessed here.

Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be found here.