UK Budget ‘chaotic’ and ‘fails to deliver’ for Scotland

Finance Secretary responds to Chancellor’s statement

The UK Budget “fails to deliver” for Scotland and will not move the dial on the cost of living for squeezed households, Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said.

This Budget has been absolute chaos from start to finish. Westminster has been consumed with leaks, briefings and out and out incompetence – with Scotland left as an afterthought and families left to pay the price.

We needed a step change from the UK Government with investment in public services, support for jobs and industry in Scotland and serious action on energy bills. Instead, we got a chaotic mess and the increase in funding for the Scottish Government will not even cover half the cost of the employer’s national insurance contributions brought in this year.

With UK energy bills £340 higher than the Prime Minister promised even after today’s announcement, the UK Government are not even trying to deliver on the their promises. It is insulting to see the UK Government stand up and trumpet a proposed reduction that does not even cover the increase since they came to office.

It does not come close to meeting the Prime Minister’s pledge on energy bills – they have not even attempted to keep their promises.

The electric vehicle tax is the wrong decision for motorists, the climate and for Scotland given its disproportionate impact on rural drivers.

And there is no serious support for jobs and industry in Scotland. The Energy Profits Levy is to remain in place – risking thousands of jobs in Scotland and in the North East in particular. Yet again, Scotland is an afterthought.

And while the moves on the two child cap are welcome, they are long overdue and the UK Government has been forced into this position by the Scottish Government and other campaigners. And without a simultaneous change to the benefit cap it falls well short of the bold anti-poverty measures we have been calling for from the UK Government.

But the complete chaos around this Budget gets to the heart of the fact that we should not be leaving crucial decisions around the economy, public finances and household bills in the hands of a deeply incompetent Westminster UK government.  We should take these decisions for ourselves with the fresh start of independence.

– MS ROBISON, IN RESPONSE TO THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER’S STATEMENT

Ahead of tomorrow’s UK Budget, Finance Secretary @shonarobison has called for investment in vital public services and infrastructure.

She also said it is important that there is support for households who are struggling with the cost of living. pic.twitter.com/43P44enJMO

— Scottish Government Finance and Economy (@scotgoveconomy) November 25, 2025

Background

The impact of the increase Employers National Insurance contributions on public services is forecast to cost the Scottish Government at least £2 billion over the next five years.