Question reference: S5W-28052
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 23 March 2020
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Current status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 7 April 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements are being made to defer council tax payments for people who have had their income reduced or lost as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer
Our priority is to ensure that those directly impacted by current events are protected and we have asked councils to ensure that recovery proceedings are not initiated in these circumstances. The well-established Council Tax Reduction Scheme means nobody has to endure hardship or suffering because they have lost their ability to pay their council tax, including those impacted directly or indirectly by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. We have already set aside an extra £50 million to fund increased demand for Council Tax Reduction and Social Security benefits, as part of our £350 million package of support for communities.