Moray MP Douglas Ross has welcomed an announcement by the Ministry of Defence that armed forces personnel stationed in Scotland will again not be unfairly penalised by having to pay higher taxes than those based elsewhere in the UK.
It was following his strong campaign on the issue in 2018 that Douglas helped secure a Government commitment to protect service personnel from the increase dubbed the ‘Nat Tax’ whilst stationed in Scotland. This pledge later became a Conservative Manifesto commitment, and the Government will again mitigate against the increase for service personnel who have little choice as to where they are based.
Commenting Douglas said: “I’m delighted that once again the UK Government will ensure that our service personnel will not be left out of pocket from being posted to Kinloss, Lossiemouth or anywhere in Scotland where the tax rises imposed by the SNP have made Scotland the highest taxed part of the UK.
“I have highlighted this unfair anomaly since the Scottish Government first introduced these tax rises and it’s thanks to the UK Government that service personnel have been protected from these unfair increases and can now be reassured that they will not be adversely affected by them in future.
“This situation was not acceptable as it could have created very low morale for those based in Scotland, which brings its own problems for the military and military families.
“This announcement ensures that an annual payment will be provided to serving personnel earning £28,443 or more a year to make sure that regardless of where they are deployed or where their families are based, they will pay the same income tax.
“This is excellent news for all personnel stationed in Scotland and I know it will be widely welcomed in Moray by the Army at Kinloss Barracks and those serving at RAF Lossiemouth.”
Minister of State for Defence, Baroness Goldie said: “Our Armed Forces serve the whole of the UK so it is only right that they are treated equally and fairly wherever their location.
“We want to reassure our brave troops that they won’t have to pay higher taxes for simply doing their duty in any part of the UK and will be properly compensated in their pay slips each year.”