By Bill Heaney
The Scottish Government is to end the two-child cap and in doing so will lift over 15,000 Scottish children out of poverty.
This was the key budget announcement which finance secretary told the Holyrood parliament “offers hope for Scotland’s future”.
Hard pressed Scottish parents caught up in the Cost of Living Crisis will at last be given an alternative to food banks to feed their children.
The NHS in Scotland will receive a record funding settlement of £21bn next financial year, Robison said.
She told MSPs this was her “biggest commitment”, saying: “Today’s budget provides a record £21 billion for health and social care.
“An increase of £2bn for frontline NHS boards – a record uplift.
“That is money that will make it easier for people to access GP appointments, that will improve A&E and ensure more Scots get the care they need in good time.”
She said it would mean by March 2026 no-one will wait longer than 12 months for a new outpatient appointment, inpatient treatment or day case treatment.
Scottish councils such as West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute, which includes Helensburgh and all points north to Oban, will receive a record funding settlement from the Budget.
Robison said: “In 2025-26, the Scottish Government will increase local authority funding by more than £1 billion.
“It will take their total funding to over £15bn, including £289m to give real-terms protection to the general revenue grant.”
She said this cash delivers the pay increases agreed for teachers, social care workers and refuse collectors, among others.
There will be no council tax freeze either – there is “no reason” for big increases in council tax, the finance secretary has said.
She announced a more than £1bn uplift for local authorities, but warned that the amount of the increases should be kept low after a council tax freeze in the past 12 months.
“While it will be for councils to make their own decisions with record funding, there is no reason for big increases in council tax next year,” she said.
And there will be no income tax rates increases. In Scotland these have been frozen until 2026, Robison told MSPs.
She announced that there would be no change in this Parliament to the tax rates, nor would any more bands be introduced.
Meanwhile, the amount at which the basic and intermediate rates – 20% and 21% – is paid will increase by 3.5% in the next financial year, which Robison has said will see more paying the lower 19% rate due to increasing wages.
The Scottish Government will mitigate the impact of the two-child benefit cap, Robison said.
Ministers north of the border have hit out at the Tory-implemented policy for years, which has not been scrapped by the new Labour administration.
Finance secretary Shona Robison said: ‘Be in no doubt that the cap will be scrapped.’
She urged the UK Government to provide the necessary data to allow for the change to be made.
“Be in no doubt that the cap will be scrapped,” she said.
“My challenge to Labour is to work with us – join us in ending the cap in Scotland, give us the information that we need.
“But, either way, let me be crystal clear, this Government is to end the two-child cap and in doing so will lift over 15,000 Scottish children out of poverty.”