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Soldiers based in Scotland 'to receive tax rise compensation'

Published on: 19 Jul 2018

Extract: Around 8,000 soldiers who were affected by an income tax rise due to being posted in Scotland will receive compensation from the British government.

British soldiers who are posted to Scotland will receive compensation from the UK government after their salaries were affected by a Scottish tax rise.

Under the rules, anyone earning over £26,000 in Scotland faces a a markedly higher income tax bill, meaning Army personnel based in this part of Britain are forced to pay more tax than their counterparts posted elsewhere in the country.

Overall, approximately 8,000 soldiers posted to Scotland - around 70 per cent of all those based there - have been affected by these rises, and will now receive compensation, the UK government has announced.

Defence secretary Gavin Williamson stated: "It is completely wrong for the brave men and women of our armed forces to be punished for serving in Scotland by unfair raids on their pay packets by the Scottish government."

He added that is why he is taking immediate action to guarantee fairer pay for troops posted to Scotland.