Scotland's highest council tax rise: Falkirk residents see 15.6% hike

The biggest council tax hikes in decades come into effect from Tuesday.

Falkirk’s 15.6% council tax hike is the highest in Scotland – raising the rates for Band D homes by more than £200 a year.

Speaking to STV News on Monday, one resident called the increase “absolutely shocking”.

Another woman said she must constantly watch what she’s buying amid the rising cost of living.

“Even the food and clothes,” she said. “I’m having to go to charity shops as well. It’s a struggle.”

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A nationwide freeze on the levy ends in April meaning local authorities have made the biggest increases in decades.

A third local added: “I don’t object to the council tax going up, but I’d like to see where it’s actually getting spent because it just seems that everything is getting cut back all the time.”

The council has previously defended the increase as “necessary”.

For more than 20 years, Falkirk Council said it has had one of the lowest council tax levels in Scotland.

“However, to balance the budget and protect essential services, a significant increase was necessary,” a spokesperson said.

While Falkirk Council’s tax hike is the highest in the country, it’s not the only local authority raising bills.

On average, council tax across Scotland is going up by 9.5% from Tuesday, which is well above the latest inflation rate of 3%.

Orkney Island Council is not far behind Falkirk with a 15% increase. On the mainland, Clackmannanshire and East Dunbartonshire councils are tied for second highest with 13% increases.

South Lanarkshire, North Ayrshire, and Highland councils have the lowest council tax increases with 6% and 7% rises.

Local authorities are blaming increasing financial pressures as the reason they have had to raise taxes on residents. Health and social care spending is up across the country, cost of living pressures and rising costs are impacting councils as well, and there’s high demand for local services.

Even in Fife Council, where councillors approved a below average 8.2% increase, leaders said it’s been one of the most challenging budgets to set.

“We have to strike a balance between making savings, raising council tax and continuing essential investment in our services for local people,” Fife’s council leader David Ross said in February.

However, council taxes aren’t the only increases scheduled to hit households this week. Water bills, energy bills, car tax, train fares, phone, broadband and TV licence fees, and more are all set to go up as well.