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13 articles
Money and bills
Every council raised its rate, but not by the same amount. This compares last year's council tax with this year's, and keeps Scottish Water's separate charge out of the council figures.
2 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
Your bill is a mix of a property band, your council's rate and Scottish Water charges. Here are the ten things that explain almost everything, followed by the exact sources.
1 Aug 2026 · 9 min read
Money and bills
£12.71 an hour sounds clear. A payslip is not. I have done the tax and working for a 37.5-hour week so you can see what reaches the bank.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
They sound almost identical. One is the legal floor an employer must pay. The other is a voluntary rate calculated from what ordinary life actually costs.
1 Aug 2026 · 5 min read
Money and bills
Working more always leaves you with more total money. But the increase can feel painfully small because is reduced as earnings rise.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
The benefit is meant to help with a cheaper local rent. In 2026 it is still using rates fixed from 2024, even though newer rent evidence is higher in most Scottish areas.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
£1,862 is not the most any household can pay. It is an illustration based on typical use. The cap controls the rates, so using more still costs more.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
The news says is down. The supermarket receipt says the weekly shop is still dear. Both can be true at the same time.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
This is not a loan and it is not an advance from . It is a council grant for a low-income person facing an immediate emergency.
1 Aug 2026 · 5 min read
Money and bills
If you get help with rent but there is still a gap, your council has another fund. It can sometimes cover the , a deposit, rent in advance or moving costs.
1 Aug 2026 · 5 min read
Money and bills
Some help is automatic, some has to be claimed, and the rules change with a child's school year. This is the short version for a busy parent.
1 Aug 2026 · 5 min read
Money and bills
War and the pandemic pushed prices up. That is true. It is also true that political choices left ordinary families with less protection, and added avoidable costs of their own.
1 Aug 2026 · 10 min read
Money and bills
It does not exist anywhere else in the UK, and some families who are entitled to it have never claimed it.
1 Aug 2026 · 4 min read