Scottish Government

New powers enabling councils to charge up to double the full rate of council tax on second homes came into force this week.

Views are being sought on proposals for the sustainable use of bioenergy, including growing crops which can be converted into electricity, heat and fuels. Bioenergy is already a key component of Scotland’s energy system and is produced by using organic material from trees, plants and food wast

More than £44 million has been paid to help thousands of people with the cost of a funeral via a Scottish Government benefit, according to latest figures.

Independent government advisers have criticised proposals by Scottish ministers to replace gas boilers with heat pumps stressing that the current timetable for implementation is “unrealistic” and that households risk becoming vulnerable to “rogue traders”.

A wide-ranging plan to strengthen communities facing population decline, including funding for local-led research, initiatives, and community support has been published by the Scottish Government. Projections show that Scotland’s population is set to fall from 2033, with fourteen local authori

First Minister Humza Yousaf has reshuffled his cabinet following the resignations of Elena Whithamin and Michael Matheson.

Edel Harris OBE, former chief executive of the charity Mencap, has been appointed to chair the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment. The independent review – a Programme for Government commitment – will consider people’s experiences of the Scottish benefit to ensure it co

Housing will be the Scottish Government's "number one priority" should extra funding become available, deputy first minister Shona Robison has said. Housing saw a cut of over £200 million in last month's Budget, with organisations from across the sector warning that the cut will put

Scottish households have saved more than £3.5 billion in council tax since the Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme was introduced a decade ago. The latest figures published by the Scottish Government show 460,860 recipients received CTR in October 2023, meaning one-in-five households were benef

Over the past year 35 crofters and their families have received grant funding totalling over £1 million to build and improve their homes. The Croft House Grant scheme supports crofters with measures to improve their homes, or build new ones - allowing them to maximise the full potential of the

Scotland's Chief Statistician has released the results of the 2022 Scottish Household Survey.

Glasgow City Council has been awarded – and accepted – £2.242 million for community projects in the city from the Scottish Government's Place Fund. The projects supported by this funding are:

Patrick Harvie MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights, has underscored his commitment to low carbon, energy-efficient buildings at this week's UK Passivhaus Conference in Edinburgh.

First Minister Humza Yousaf has been urged to declare a "housing emergency" after his keynote conference speech was criticised for a lack of detail on improving the provision of affordable homes. Despite previous assurances from Scottish Housing Minister Paul McLennan about prioritising homelessness

The Scottish Government is holding discussions with key Build to Rent (BTR) investors in London to discuss the Scottish rental housing market and reform proposals. The meeting was facilitated by property firm Rettie & Co at the request of Minister for Housing Paul McLennan.