Welcome to Scotland: a guide for service personnel and their families in Scotland (updated 2021)

Other Useful Information

Elections and Scottish Parliament

You can find out who your local MSP, MP and Councillor is by entering your postcode at Write to Them.

Serving personnel, along with their spouses or partners, can take part in elections and referendums. You can find out more information about how you can register to vote in Scotland at Who can register to vote.

Local Authority Champions

All Local Authorities within Scotland have nominated an Armed Forces and Veterans Champion who acts as an advocate on behalf of the Armed Forces Community within that area. The Champions are in place to support the Armed Forces Community to identify any issues which need to be addressed and resolved. As well as this numerous other organisations, including NHS Boards and other statutory bodies have also nominated Armed Forces and Veterans Champions.

You can find more information on who your Local Authority Champion is on Veterans Assist Scotland Website at Veterans Assist Scotland - Subjects - Veterans Champion (veterans-assist.org)

Posted in Scotland

Posted or settling in Scotland is a guide created by SO2 Transition from Army HQ in Scotland, it gives information about the organisations that operate in Scotland,service families accommodation, childcare, schools, help to buy, buying a home, renting a home and going to university or college in Scotland. It will help anyone posted to/or settling in Scotland to prepare for that move. In addition to signposting some amazing organisations everyone should know about it also dispels some of the myths about issues that affect the Armed Forces community such as: Scottish rates of income tax, Service Pupil Premium and most importantly… the weather!

Scots Law

Scots law is the legal system in Scotland, and although elements in the Scottish legal system are similar to those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, there are important differences between Scots law, English law and Northern Irish law. You can find out more about Scots law on the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (Scotland's prosecution service) website at Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service.

The Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Act 2019

In Scotland, the criminal law can be different to that of the rest of the UK. For example, the Scottish Parliament passed legislation in 2019 that made all forms of physical punishment of a child unlawful. Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Act 2019.

Taxes in Scotland

There are three different types of tax in Scotland:

• local taxes, administered by local authorities
• devolved taxes, administered by Revenue Scotland and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC); and
• taxes reserved to the UK, administered solely by HMRC.

The Scottish Parliament has the power to set the rates and bands of Income Tax for Scottish taxpayers on their earnings from employment, self-employment, property and pensions. HMRC collects Income Tax on behalf of the Scottish Government - through the same systems that are in place across the rest of the UK. If you meet the definition of a Scottish taxpayer, HMRC will issue you with a specific Scottish tax code that identifies you as a Scottish taxpayer.

Income Tax makes up around 30% of the Scottish Budget, which means that people living in Scotland are contributing directly to their local communities and services. The revenue raised from taxation in Scotland supports the most comprehensive range of free to access public services available in the UK.

• You can find out more about Scottish Income Tax policy.