Each of Scotland's 32 local authority areas has confirmed council tax will be frozen in the year ahead following talks with SNP ministers.
Finance minister Kate Forbes confirmed the freeze would be nationwide today and hailed it as a welcome move in the country's recovery from the pandemic.
As part of the 2021-22 Holyrood Budget town hall chiefs were offered £90 million – the equivalent of around a 3% council tax increase – on top of the local government settlement to compensate councils who agreed to the tax freeze.
It was part of a wider £11.6 billion funding package from the Scottish Government that will be distributed to local authorities over the next 12 months.
Forbes said: “With people facing unprecedented challenges and extra pressures, now is a time to work together to provide stability and certainty.
“In the budget for the year ahead I took the significant step of providing £90 million to support a national council tax freeze, giving local authorities the option to support families while ensuring there would be no impact on vital local services.
“I am pleased that councils have taken advantage of this additional support and have protected household finances. This will make a real difference to people across Scotland.
“I have also confirmed that the funding provided this year to support the council tax freeze will be maintained in local authority budgets going forward, providing additional certainty to local government.”
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