ScotlandCounted

Who decides

Westminster, Holyrood or your council?

Most letters that go nowhere went to the wrong building. Find the thing you are annoyed about, and see who actually controls it.

What this means

Scotland works on a powers model. A list in the Scotland Act says what stays with Westminster. Everything not on that list is decided in Scotland.

Some things are genuinely split. Where they are, this page says so, because writing to one when you needed the other is how people conclude that contacting anyone is pointless.

Write to your mp

UK Government

Westminster. Decided in London, applies across the UK unless it has been devolved.

  • Universal Credit

    The amount, the rules for getting it and the sanctions are all set at Westminster.

    Not the whole story. Scotland can change how it is paid, for example twice a month or straight to a landlord, but not how much it is.

    Contact: Your MP

  • State Pension and Child Benefit

    Both are reserved, so the rates are the same across the UK.

    Contact: Your MP

  • The minimum wage

    Employment law is reserved, so the legal minimum is set at Westminster and is the same everywhere in the UK.

    Contact: Your MP

  • Energy bills and the price cap

    Most energy policy is reserved, and the price cap is set by the UK regulator.

    Not the whole story. Renewable energy and home energy efficiency schemes are devolved, so insulation help comes from Edinburgh.

    Contact: Your MP

  • National Insurance and VAT

    Most taxation stays reserved, so these rates are the same across the UK.

    Contact: Your MP

Write to your msps

Scottish Government

Holyrood. Decided in Edinburgh, applies across Scotland.

  • Income tax on your wages

    The Scottish Parliament sets the rates and bands on earned income, so Scottish taxpayers pay different amounts from the rest of the UK.

    Not the whole story. National Insurance is separate and is not devolved.

    Contact: Your MSPs

  • Scottish Child Payment

    A Scottish benefit, decided at Holyrood and paid by Social Security Scotland.

    Contact: Your MSPs

  • The NHS and social care

    Health and social services are devolved, so waiting times and funding are decided in Edinburgh.

    Not the whole story. Social care is delivered locally, so the service you get is arranged by your council.

    Contact: Your MSPs

  • Schools

    Education is devolved, so the curriculum, teacher pay and national funding are set in Edinburgh.

    Not the whole story. Your council runs the schools, so buildings, closures, catchment areas and school meals are local decisions.

    Contact: Your MSPs for policy, your councillors for your school

  • Housing and homelessness

    Housing is devolved, so tenants' rights, rent rules and national housing funding are set in Edinburgh.

    Not the whole story. Councils have the legal duty to house homeless people and decide local planning, so the failure is usually local.

    Contact: Your MSPs for the law, your councillors for your case

Write to your councillors

Your council

Decided locally by the 32 councils, so it can differ from one area to the next.

  • Council tax

    Your council sets the rate every year, which is why the bill differs between neighbouring areas.

    Not the whole story. The band system and the discounts are set nationally, and councils cannot change which band a house is in.

    Contact: Your councillors

  • Bins, recycling and street cleaning

    Entirely a council service, which is why the cost and the collection day change when you cross a boundary.

    Contact: Your councillors

  • Local roads and potholes

    Councils maintain local roads and decide what gets repaired and when.

    Not the whole story. Motorways and trunk roads are run nationally by Transport Scotland.

    Contact: Your councillors

  • Crisis Grants and emergency help

    The Scottish Welfare Fund is administered by your council, so how quickly you get a decision depends on where you live.

    Not the whole story. The fund itself is set up and paid for by the Scottish Government.

    Contact: Your councillors, then your MSPs

Find the people who represent you

Enter a postcodeFind my MP and MSPsYour postcode is used to look them up and is not stored.Before you writeWhat happens after you press sendWhat they do with it, how long it takes, and what gets a reply.

Straight answers

Questions people ask

How does the split actually work?

Scotland uses a powers model. Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998 lists what stays with the UK Parliament, and anything not on that list is to the Scottish Parliament. So is the default and the reservations are the exceptions, which is the opposite of how most people assume it works.

Should I write to my MP or my MSP?

It depends entirely on the issue, which is what this page is for. , the minimum wage and the State Pension are your MP. Income tax on your wages, the NHS and schools policy are your MSPs. Council tax, bins, local roads and Crisis Grants are your councillors.

I have more than one MSP. Which one do I contact?

Everyone in Scotland has one MSP and seven regional MSPs, and all eight can take up your case. You can write to any of them. Some people write to the MSP first and go to a regional MSP if they get nowhere.

What if the answer is that it is split?

Then say so in your letter. If a school building is falling apart, that is your council, but if the problem is that councils have not been given the money, that is Holyrood. Naming both is more effective than picking the wrong one.

Where this comes from

14 issues listed. If one is wrong or a power has moved, report it and it will be fixed and logged.

Now you know who to write to

Find your MP, your MSP and your seven regional MSPs, and send them something they have to answer.

One simple next step

Find my representativesSee my council's record first