Tax break potential for students

SNP MSP and Finance Committee member Joe FitzPatrick today welcomed comments from John Swinney that the Scottish Government is actively considering exempting full-time students from paying for Local Income Tax.

Speaking in the debate on the Government’s proposal to abolish the unfair council tax and replace it with a local income tax based on ability to pay Cabinet Secretary for Finance John Swinney said;

"We are actively considering representations that full-time students be exempt from paying local income tax.”

MSP for Dundee West Joe FitzPatrick, who spoke in the debate said;

“Today’s announcement that the SNP Government is considering exempting full-time students should be welcomed by students and student organisations across the country.

“Scrapping the unfair council tax and replacing it with a tax based on the ability to pay will make local taxation fairer for everyone. 

“Scotland’s students have already seen the graduate endowment scrapped by the SNP.  With more students working and paying income tax this possible exemption from local income tax is another sign of the SNP Government’s support for Scotland’s students.

“According to HBOS students in Scotland earn an average of £6198. When Gordon Brown and the Labour party doubled the tax on students they pushed tax bills for the average working student up from just under £100 to nearly £200 – a price most working students can ill afford.  

“In contrast the SNP Government is looking at the possibility of exempting those students from local taxation in Scotland.

“This is a welcome announcement and I hope the Government is able to offer support to students when council tax is finally scrapped and replaced with a fair system of local income tax.”