Use devolved tax levers to reduce and prevent poverty

Last updated: 22/04/2025

Reform also needed to better tax wealth and carbon to fund national priorities

It is vital that the Scottish Government raises taxes on the wealthy to support an increased investment in affordable housing, childcare and enhanced social security to eradicate poverty.

- Satwat Rehman, Chief Executive of One Parent Families Scotland

The Scottish Government can use Holyrood’s tax powers to help increase the resources available next year and in future years, to support people on low incomes, invest in care and tackle the climate crisis, according to a group of prominent campaign organisations and a leading progressive think tank.

Soaring inflation and rising costs – including from public sector pay claims linked to the spiralling cost of living crisis – are exerting significant pressure on Scotland’s public finances. This pressure is likely to continue in the coming years, including as a result of a looming spending squeeze at UK level.

While Scottish ministers say their budget is “fixed” this financial year and have therefore made spending cuts and re-allocations to balance the books, this is not the case for 2023-24 when, the campaigners say, it must use devolved taxes to increase the resources available to it.

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

View Privacy policy

Covering your tracks

You may not want other people to know that you’ve been searching for information or help from OPFS.

When browsing the internet whether on a mobile phone, tablet or computer, you leave a ‘history’ trail of pages and sites you’ve visited.

It’s impossible to completely avoid being tracked online but if you’re worried about someone knowing which sites you’ve been looking at, there are some things you can do to help cover your tracks.

If you’re using a laptop or desktop computer, try keeping another document or website open in a new tab or window while browsing. If someone comes in the room and you don’t want them to see what you’re looking at, you can quickly switch to another window or tab.

Deleting browsing history

You can delete the history of websites you’ve visited, but it’s important to know that if you delete your browsing history, someone else using the same device may notice.

If you share a tablet, mobile phone, laptop or computer with someone, they might notice that passwords or website addresses have disappeared from their history.

Find out how to remove your browsing history and other data from some of the most commonly used browsers:

Browsing in Private mode (incognito)

When browsing ‘incognito’, the internet browser won’t store cookies or record your browsing history on the computer, mobile or tablet.

This option is available on popular web browsers i.e. -

Toolbars

If you use a search toolbar in your web browser, remember that your searched items can be saved as part of your history. Find out how to delete your searched items from the following search engines: