Council Tax Reduction supports over 450,000 households

Scotland’s Chief Statistician today released the latest annual Council Tax Reduction statistics.

In March 2023, Scotland’s Council Tax Reduction scheme supported 454,350 households (compared to 462,670 in March 2022) and the total weekly income forgone by local authorities was £7.364 million (compared to £6.829 million in March 2022).

The total number of CTR recipients in Scotland decreased over the course of 2022-23 with the largest change, a decrease of 1.2 per cent, observed in October 2022 compared to the previous month.

The number of CTR recipients in Scotland remained relatively steady between March 2022 and September 2022 then started to decrease, reaching a record low of 454,180 in December 2022. From January 2023 to March 2023, the number of recipients rose and fell again, remaining just above the record low.

The total number of Council Tax Reduction recipients in Scotland is now 18 per cent (98,030 recipients) lower in March 2023 than it was when the scheme began (April 2013).

Though there was a decrease in the number of CTR recipients, there was an increase in income forgone from March 2022 to March 2023. This is due to the increase in Council Tax rates and therefore the average weekly award for CTR recipients. 

Background

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

The full statistical publication is available online.

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 makes references to the previously published annual statistics from March 2022 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 2023 published on 16 May 2023.

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

Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed is available online.