Latest Scottish & UK Budgets news & opinion

Following a debate on the National Insurance Contributions Bill in the House of Lords on Tuesday, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Chief Executive, Anna Fowlie said: “The Treasury decision to increase employer National Insurance Contributions will cost medium... Read more

Commenting on the announcement that the Scottish Government will provide additional multi-year funding in the form of 45 grants to organisations across Scotland, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Chief Executive Anna Fowlie said: “The voluntary sector has a... Read more

SCVO has responded to comments from the Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, that the public sector in Scotland will have to “absorb” a £200 million shortfall because of the UK government’s decision to increase employers’ National Insurance contributions.  Read more

Over the past few months, the implications of the increase in Employers’ National Insurance Contributions for medium and large employers in the voluntary sector has attracted lots of media coverage. This has helped to increase public understanding of the precarious nature of... Read more

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance said that yesterday’s budget was one of hope. If you look hard enough, I do think there are glimmers of hope in there for Scotland’s voluntary sector, but overall I’m not sure it will do much to dispel the immediate sense of financial... Read more

Commenting, Kirsten Hogg, SCVO’s Head of Policy and Research, said: “While lip-service continues to be paid to reforming the broken public funding landscape voluntary organisations contend with, today’s budget takes us no further forward. “This is despite the Social Justice and... Read more

SCVO’s Head of Policy and Research, Kirsten Hogg, said: “The chancellor's decision not to support voluntary sector employers with increasing National Insurance contributions is shortsighted, and belies a lack of understanding of our essential sector. We will continue to push... Read more

Ahead of the 2nd reading of the National Insurance Contributions Bill, SCVO's Chief Executive, Anna Fowlie, wrote to Scottish MPs. Below is the text of the letter, minus tailored constituency information. You can find constituency information for other MPs on the Geographical... Read more

John Swinney MSP, First Minister Scottish Government 12 November 2024 Dear First Minister Autumn Budget 2024 As you have recognised in your recent public comments, the Chancellor’s intention to increase employers’ National Insurance contributions will have a significant impact on... Read more

Last week, following months of speculation, Britain’s first female Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, delivered Labour’s first Budget in 14 years. A historic moment and important opportunity.The Budget, the Chancellor promised, would invest, invest, invest, partly by raising taxes by £4... Read more