Figures show that the MoD has made just over 14,000 mitigation payments to Armed Forces personnel to offset the higher rate of income tax they pay in Scotland.
This is an increase over previous years figures, which can be found here.
Deidre Brock, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, asked via a Parliamentary written question:
“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many financial mitigation payments have been made to his Department’s personnel based in Scotland in relation to the Scottish rate of income tax; and at what salary level those payments began.”
Leo Docherty, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence, responded:
“Since Tax Year (TY) 2018-19, retrospective mitigation payments have been made to those Regular Service personnel adversely affected, by £12 or more, through having to pay higher rates of income tax in Scotland compared to their counterparts resident outside Scotland. Not all Service personnel meeting the residency requirement for paying Scottish income tax serve in Scotland, and not all those who serve in Scotland are resident there for tax purposes.
So far, the Ministry of Defence has made just over 14,000 mitigation payments covering TYs 2018-19 and 2019-20. These have been triggered where gross taxable earnings (i.e. not just pay) have been £27,200 or more in TY 2018-19, or £28,193 or more in TY 2019-20.
Payments covering TY 2020-21 will be made in June, to those whose gross taxable earnings have been £28,443 or more.”
According to the BBC, people across Scotland who earn more than £24,000 pay 21% under the Scottish tax system. Higher (£43,431 – £150,000) and top rates (earnings more than £150,000), have been increased to 41% and 46% (40% and 45% across the rest of the UK).
Great way to recycle taxpayers money between the MOD, HMRC and Scottish Government budgets.
It keeps the Finance Directors happy.
If ever there was anything to display what is idiotic about Britain it is this.
Indeed. All made in the UK by the idiots in Parliament.
Aye couldn’t agree more with your statement but one shouldn’t forget the primary cause is the idiot public who continually vote for these clowns so we really only have Joe public to blame.
🏴🇬🇧
Scotland turning into a socialist state just like American now. Ugh
It’s nothing like a socialist state. And neither is America.
You are unbelievably cringey and predictable, you always try and relate anything to the fact that oh so divine and glorious Trump has finally left somewhere he should never have been in the first place. People who are furious at Trump losing the election and think it’s now the end of the world are just as embarrassing as remainers who STILL want another referendum after five years (and I say that as someone who’s on the fence in terms of Brexit). Please leave the Trump cult crap behind when you enter this site 🙂
Oh Dan, you forget that socialism in the UK in general, and Scotland in particular isn’t really a dirty word compared to cover the pond. The reality is the SNP is only mildly left of centre so the slight increase in income tax is nothing compared to what the true left actually wants.
One trick pony strikes again!
Seriously, look up what socialism actually is before opening your mouth or putting fingers to the keyboard!
That Proclaimer on the far right (not Right obviously) must be in the TA. 😉
A brave man and a hero – thank you for volunteering to give up your time and potentially life for your country in that case.
I mentioned this earlier on another thread.
If Scotland went independent why would you want to transfer to a Scottish Armed Force that taxes you more than the one you are part of in the UK?
Exactly. Not really good to split up. Far more complex than Brexit and will sink Scotland and weaken rUK. Leaving EU has it plusses and minuses. Though at the moment can’t see many plusses (ignoring COVID response) and that was a lot less complex to do and took 4 years. This will be the same if not worse. SNP are a bit like Farage – 1 issue party and something to do an a reason to be a politician after that fade away. Politically it is always easy to blame Westminster or Brussels and a lot easier to destroy something… Read more »
Spot on, ive said this for years, not one bloke I knew/know would transfer to the Scottish Armed forces, if they were formed, limited promotion due to size, limited capability, limited chance of ops (aside from maybe a crappy UN job which the ROI harp on about), limited chance to specialise, etc etc etc….its a subject which we chat about often, when I was in the job, when we were in the sand pit and even now, and push comes to shove the jock lads would chin it off every time.
Well if you are Scottish perhaps out of sense of patriotism and loyalty? That said if you are in the military for a sense of action then you would be more likely stay in the rUK armed forces.
Like me lots of people joined to get out of the place that they lived in, for me it was Merseyside in the very early 1980s. Its a job with prospects, fairly good pay with allowances, and a chance to do things that your mates from school can never experience. Ten years after I joined mates from School still had no jobs and no prospects. Even now 40 years later their highlight of the year is going on a holiday to Spain which for lots of them is the furthest they have been! You swear allegiance to the Crown and… Read more »
That’s why working the sand pit was worth it! Top dollar!!!! As for joining up, a few join up due to loyalty and love of country, but the vast majority join up as either they’ve watched some footage on TV of Afghan/Iraq/Falklands etc and want a piece of the challenge and action (notice recruitment was never an issue between 2003 -2010), or they want to do something different and get some travel and a skill set. However when the shit hits the fan, as you know mate, you are fighting for your mates, your unit and your units rep! Leave… Read more »
If you are qualified to vote in scots elections you should pay Scottish taxes and the UK should not sub them, any more than any MoD worker in say oxford should get a rebate on Oxford council tax.
The problem is for example English Welsh or Irish troops posted to Scotland through no fault of there own having to pay more tax in my view the British army should be exempt from these sort of things they should be paid and taxed by the uk government not some jumped up little more than a town mayor
Can anyone in the know shed light on any new developments with the MTP pattern camouflage. It’s just that some of the lads in the pic upstairs seem to have a more green/brown dominant derivative as opposed to the original, khaki dominant(?), version. TIA