Scotland records largest ever monthly increase in council tax reduction recipients in the first month of COVID-19 lockdown

New statistics also show a more than 10 per cent increase in the total value of council tax reduction awarded from March to April 2020

In the first month of the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, Scotland saw the largest monthly rise in council tax reduction (CTR) recipients since the scheme was devolved in April 2013.

New quarterly statistics on the CTR scheme in Scotland for April to June 2020 show that the total number of CTR recipients increased sharply in April 2020 to 490,160 from 469,370 in March 2020.

Other key findings include that -

• by June 2020, the total number of CTR recipients had increased to just under half a million (497,960), an increase of 1.6 per cent since April 2020, the first time the total has risen during this period since the scheme was introduced;
• total weekly CTR awarded (as a result of the increase in CTR recipients and the annual increases in council tax bills in April 2020) rose by 10.6 per cent to £7.2 million in April 2020 from the previous month's total of £6.5 million; and
• by the end of the quarter, the total weekly CTR awarded had risen further to £7.3 million.

Commenting on the figures, the Scottish Government says that the start of lockdown on 24 March 2020 affected employment in Scotland with the knock-on impact of more individuals becoming eligible to claim CTR. It also notes that CTR recipient levels at the end of the April to June quarter are now similar to the levels seen four years ago in June 2016.

For more information, see Council Tax Reduction in Scotland: April to June 2020 from gov.scot