Budget Day in Scotland has arrived, with significant implications for residents as the Scottish Government prepares to announce decisions affecting income tax, housing, education, and benefits. With just four months until the election, voters have expressed urgent concerns about how these financial choices will impact their daily lives.
Many citizens are calling for increased support for housing, particularly for young adults facing the challenges of independence. Megan, a retail assistant from Airdrie, is seeking assistance as she prepares to move out on her own. Currently living with her mother, she faces eviction due to her landlord selling the property. “Private rent is just so unaffordable for me,” she stated, highlighting the toll this situation has taken on her mental health and confidence. “I feel like I may not have anywhere to go or that I’ll never be able to be independent.”
Megan’s concerns extend beyond housing; public transport affordability is another pressing issue for her. “The costs are becoming more unaffordable, and I’d like them to offer more alternative transport links to Glasgow city centre,” she added.
Support for low-income households is also a priority for Alan, a 54-year-old from Kilmarnock. He has worked at the same retail company since he was 17 and earns just above the National Minimum Wage. With his wife also earning a modest income, managing their household budget is challenging. He advocates for adjustments to income tax bands to avoid penalization for potential pay increases. Alan also emphasizes the need for increased funding for the NHS, citing distressing reports about long ambulance wait times.
The effect of recent economic uncertainty is evident in the experiences of Graham, a father-of-two from Edinburgh. After facing redundancy last year, he struggled for six months during a time when the cost of living soared. Graham believes that higher-income earners should contribute more through taxes, arguing, “There’s far too much money in society now between a small group of people.” He also highlights the strain on the NHS and calls for a more equitable distribution of wealth to ease these pressures.
Meanwhile, Temi has launched a small business selling African groceries in Dunfermline. While she successfully navigated the process to secure grants and a business rate reduction, she now finds her ambitions stifled. “I want to open a restaurant, but if I take another property, the rates will be through the roof,” Temi explained. She urges the Scottish Government to create a funding budget for councils to support small businesses, arguing that many potential entrepreneurs lack the capital needed to start.
“We need a proactive government that will listen to the actual reality of businesses,” she stated. “We can’t grow when we are trying to stay afloat.”
These voices echo a pressing demand for the Scottish Government to address housing affordability, tax reforms, and support for small businesses as Budget Day unfolds. The decisions made at Holyrood today will undoubtedly shape the future for many Scots, reflecting the need for policies that respond to the economic realities faced by residents across the country.
