Scottish government invest around £50 billion in public services

The Scottish government said that they spent £50 billion on public services to help tackle child poverty, reduce carbon emissions, support the NHS and secure pay deals according to newly published figures.

The Provisional Outturn, which compares actual spending with the funding commitments set out in the Budget, shows that the Scottish government spent £49.3 billion in the 2023-24 financial year. 

There was £292 million remaining – representing 0.6 per cent of the Scottish government’s total budget – all of which has been carried over through the Scotland Reserve to be directed towards priority areas in 2024-25.

Last year, the Scottish government said they spent nearly £5.2 billion on social security benefits including Scottish Child Payment and Carer Support Payment.

They also invested £19 million billion in health and social care, supporting recovery and reform to secure sustainable public services, while delivering a pay uplift for NHS staff.

The government also continued to provide Just Transition Fund grant funding, including £16.8 million for projects in the North-east and Moray regions, in addition to £3 million to help vulnerable global communities address loss and damage brought on by climate change.

Public finance minister Ivan McKee said: “These figures show once again how this government is prudently and competently managing the public finances while delivering funding for the things that matter to people across Scotland, not least the NHS and action to tackle child poverty.

“The Scottish government has consistently balanced its budgets each and every year. This represented a significant challenge last year, as the continued impact of persistently high inflation, pressure on public sector pay, backlogs as a result of the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine combined to place pressure on the public finances.

“We are not allowed to overspend, so must leave ourselves with the headroom to manage any unexpected shocks or issues. The remaining funding has been allocated in full in 2024-25, allowing us to implement measures at the most optimal time rather than being constrained to a single financial year.”