Funding a social renewal: Scottish budget briefing paper
Article
The Scottish government has made bold progressive pledges including ending child poverty and developing a minimum income guarantee. Our previous reports have set out the roles of social security, public services and fair work can jointly deliver these objectives. In this report we set out options available to the Scottish government to fund these pledges.
At a time of economic turbulence, protecting those on the lowest incomes is more critical than ever. We show how additional revenue can be raised without increasing taxes at the lower end of the income spectrum. Our proposals are highly progressive, with tax increases concentrated among the highest 10 per cent of earners.
Over the longer term, reforms to taxation in Scotland are needed to address inequality. We recommend a review of income tax, and reform of the outdated council tax.
Related items
Transforming asylum accommodation
Asylum accommodation costs have soared in recent years, with billions of pounds being spent on housing people in inadequate conditions, which is both a waste of public funds and a failure to meet policy objectives.Bookkeepers or changemakers? Understanding the chancellor’s choices ahead of the budget
The Labour party won the last election by ‘de-risking’ a Labour vote on key economic policy agendas. At the heart of this was a strategy to regain Labour’s reputation for economic competence.Low capital gains tax is not a sensible way to support entrepreneurs
Ahead of the new government’s first budget, the chancellor’s challenge is twofold.