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Scotland-based armed forces to pay same income tax rates as rest of United Kingdom


By Jonathan Clark

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THE Ministry of Defence has announced that armed forces stationed in Scotland will pay the same tax rates as those based elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

RAF Lossiemouth...Picture: Daniel Forsyth..
RAF Lossiemouth...Picture: Daniel Forsyth..

An annual payment will continue to be provided to serving personnel earning £28,443 per annum by the UK Government, meaning all British troops will pay the same income tax. The average payment made will be £850, with around 7000 people to benefit.

The renewed measures will now apply indefinitely, rather than being renewed annually.

Moray's Conservative MP Douglas Ross campaigned on the issue in 2018 and welcomed the commitment.

However, SNP MSP Richard Lochhead said Mr Ross was fails to acknowledge that personnel posted to Scotland receive many benefits unavailable elsewhere in the UK, including paying less council tax.

Douglas Ross said: “I’m delighted that once again the UK Government will ensure that our service personnel will not be left out of pocket from being posted to Kinloss, Lossiemouth or anywhere in Scotland where the tax rises imposed by the SNP have made Scotland the highest taxed part of the UK.

"I have highlighted this unfair anomaly since the Scottish Government first introduced these tax rises and it’s thanks to the UK Government that service personnel have been protected from these unfair increases.

"This is excellent news for all personnel stationed in Scotland and I know it will be widely welcomed in Moray by the Army at Kinloss Barracks and those serving at RAF Lossiemouth.

Kinloss Barracks is used by the 39th Engineer Regiment.
Kinloss Barracks is used by the 39th Engineer Regiment.

"The situation was not acceptable as it could have created very low morale for those based in Scotland."

Mr Lochhead, though, believes Mr Ross is ignoring many benefits that personnel based in Scotland receive.

He said: "The SNP Government believes that a fair tax system is essential to delivering vital public services.

"On this issue, Douglas Ross repeatedly fails to acknowledge that personnel in Scotland have access to many services they wouldn’t have if they were posted to other parts of the UK.

"Our Conservative MP also ignores that fact that personnel in Scotland pay less in council tax than those in other parts of the UK.

"Mr Ross also fails to mention that the lowest paid in our armed services will be taxed less in Scotland than their colleagues in other parts of the UK.”

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