Quarterly SLfT Statistics Q2 2024-25
Commentary
£14.4 million in Scottish Landfill Tax (SLfT) was declared payable for the latest quarter, July to September 2024 (Q2, 2024/25). Total standard rate tonnage was 144,700 and total lower rate tonnage was 150,900.
The total SLfT declared due in Q2 of 2024/25 is the lowest of any Q2. This is consistent with the long-term trend for declining SLfT declared due, resulting from the decreasing tonnage of standard rate taxable waste.
Scottish Budget 2025 to 2026 changes to Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT)
The Scottish Government has today announced as part of its 2025 to 2026 Scottish Budget that the rate of Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) will increase to 8%. The revised rate will apply to contracts entered into on or after 5 December 2024. For contracts entered into on or before 4 December the previous rate of 6% will apply.
Revenue Scotland has updated the SETS system and its online guidance and calculators in advance of the rate change coming into effect.
Monthly LBTT Statistics: October 2024
Key points
- Total LBTT excluding Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) was £68.4m in October 2024. This is the third highest of any month next to July 2024 (£71.6m) and December 2021 (£73.6m), and equal to November 2022.
- Residential LBTT excluding ADS (£48.0) was the second highest for any month of October and the fifth highest of any month overall. Two of the higher monthly totals were within the previous three months – July 2024 (£52.0m) and August 2024 (£48.8m).
Annual Summary of Trends in the Devolved Taxes 2023/24
Introduction
Revenue Scotland is responsible for the collection and management of the devolved Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Scottish Landfill Tax (SLfT). These taxes are the equivalent of Stamp Duty and Landfill Tax in England and Northern Ireland, and Land Transaction Tax and Landfill Disposals Tax in Wales.
Appendix C - Data Quality and Further Information
All data were extracted as at 31 May 2024 but, in keeping with Revenue Scotland’s statistics revisions policy, some of the data relating to earlier years has not been updated. For LBTT and SLfT, only data for 2022/23 onwards has been updated (and for sub-Scotland geographies, only the most recent year was updated).
Reliefs
There are various data quality issues with reliefs information collected from LBTT returns in previous years, although these issues do not affect the total LBTT declared due.
Appendix B - Comparison of Published Statistics with Revenue Scotland's Annual Report and Financial Statements
The purpose of this appendix is to explain how Revenue Scotland’s monthly LBTT statistics, quarterly SLfT statistics, and annual statistics (this publication) relate to the revenue figures that appear in the Devolved Taxes Account in Revenue Scotland’s Annual Re
Appendix A - Date of submission versus effective date
Revenue Scotland’s monthly LBTT statistics and the data in this publication are based on the date the LBTT return is submitted to Revenue Scotland. Generally, this is different from the effective date (generally the data that a land transaction is completed) as taxpayers have 30 days from the effective date to submit their LBTT return. However, nearly three quarters (74%) of returns are submitted within a week of the effective date and 88% within two weeks (see Figure 19). A small proportion of returns are submitted later than the required 30 days and are liable for financial penalties.
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax
Overview
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is a charge on land transactions in Scotland. Land transactions must be notified to Revenue Scotland, unless the chargeable consideration (definition below) is less than £40,000, or the transaction is otherwise exempt.
The Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) is an additional charge which applies when the taxpayer is purchasing an additional property and not replacing their main residence. ADS most commonly arises for purchases of a second home or a buy-to-let dwelling.
Scottish Landfill Tax (SLfT)
Scottish Landfill Tax (SLfT) is a tax on the disposal of waste to a landfill in Scotland, whether to an authorised landfill site or not. SLfT applies to all taxable disposals made in Scotland on or after 1 April 2015.
SLfT is chargeable by weight and there are currently two rates for taxable disposals:
Executive Summary
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax
- £804 million in LBTT revenues were declared due during 2023/24. This is the third highest annual total, behind 2022/23 (£838 million) and 2021/22 (£813 million). The total LBTT revenue includes £189 million net Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) payments, some of which is likely to be reclaimed at a later date.