Jenny Gilruth MSP, Scottish Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, has announced that the 2027-28 Scottish Budget will be presented to Parliament on Thursday 3 December 2026.
The December date gives the Scottish government time to reflect on important announcements that may be made in the earlier UK-wide budget of 28 October 2026. Since this is the first budget to be delivered by the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, there is uncertainty.
Since 2016, Scotland has had the power to set its own tax rates for non-savings income, but Finance Act 2026 gave the Scottish (and Welsh) government the power to set a separate rate for property income.
Since it was announced in Autumn Budget 2025 that tax on property income would increase from April 2027, the Scottish Parliament will need to decide whether Income Tax on property will also be increased in Scotland.
Scotland currently has six rates of Income Tax. An increase of two per cent would see the additional rate on property income rise to 50%. If the Scottish government does not increase the tax on property income, it will mean Scottish starter, basic and intermediate taxpayers would pay less tax on property income than the rest of the UK.
The last Scottish Budget was held on 13 January 2026.
Useful guides on this topic
Scottish Taxes: What's New 2026?
What’s new for Scottish taxes in 2025-26? What updates have occurred this year? What new changes will be implemented for 2026-27?
Scottish Income Tax: Am I a Scottish taxpayer?
Who does Scottish Income Tax apply to? Am I resident in Scotland? What constitutes a residence and the 'main' residence?
Scottish Income Tax
From 6 April 2016, Scotland sets its own Income Tax rates. What is the rate of Scottish Income Tax? What implications does it have?
External link
The Scottish Parliament: Draft Scottish Budget timetable: Scottish Government update, September 2026