THE majority of Scots believe the UK Budget will leave them worse off, a fresh poll has suggested.
Polling by Survation on behalf of pro-independence think tank Progress Scotland shows three times as many Scots think the Budget will leave them worse off than better off.
Just 12% thought they would financially benefit from the Budget.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £40 billion of tax rises last month which she claimed was necessary to plug a £22 billion “black hole” left by the previous Tory government.
The rate of employers’ National Insurance contributions will rise by 1.2%, from 13.8% to 15% from April next year.
SNP MSP Joe Fitzpatrick (below) said it was "truly damning" that so many Scots thought the Budget would not “deliver the help they need or will even make things worse”.
He said: “With food prices set to spiral along with another increase in energy bills and mortgage rates on the rise, it’s shameful that Labour's first post-election Budget is set to pile even more misery onto households.
“Keir Starmer’s Budget is also set to hit small businesses, charities and care homes with its National Insurance increase.
“Whether it's coal, oil, renewables or agriculture, successive Westminster governments of all colours have proven they cannot be trusted to manage Scotland’s vital industries.
“Despite Labour’s promises of ’change,’ it's now obvious Scots will continue to pay the price for disastrous decisions taken in Westminster."
Despite the statistics, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie is continuing to insist the Budget is “transformative”.
She said: “Labour’s transformative Budget will deliver for millions of Scots, giving a pay rise to hundreds of thousands of the lowest-paid workers, freezing fuel duty to protect motorists, and delivering the largest Scottish block grant in the history of devolution.
“This record-breaking level of funding gives the SNP the chance to improve Scots’ lives and reinstate the winter fuel payment, as Scottish Labour has committed to doing.”
This week, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar performed a screeching U-turn to say his party would bring back a universal Winter Fuel Payment if they came to power at Holyrood in 2026.
However, this will later be tapered so that the wealthiest receive smaller payments.
Starmer attracted criticism from across the political spectrum in the summer after announcing the benefit would only be available to those in receipt of pension credit or other benefits.
Survation polled 3016 people in Scotland aged 16 and over between November 1 and 15. It found support for Labour had fallen since September, dropping by four points in Holyrood constituencies and one point on the regional list.
Polling expert John Curtice said the results would secure the SNP 42 MSPs, Labour 34, the Conservatives 18, Reform 14, the LibDems 11 and the Greens 10.
