Finance Secretary Shona Robison confirms date for the 2026/27 Scottish Budget

Previously Ms Robison said she was minded to produce the 2026/27 Budget on January 15, but has since written to Holyrood’s finance committee agreeing to their request to bring the date forward by two days.

The Scottish Budget is normally published in December. But Ms Robison had said it would be “incredibly difficult” to have the 2026/27 Budget published before Christmas.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to give the Autumn Statement later than usual on November 26. Ms Robison wrote to finance convener Kenneth Gibson MSP informing him of the new Budget date.

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She said: “I appreciate the committee’s recognition of the need to balance the time required for the Scottish Government and the Scottish Fiscal Commission to respond to the UK government’s autumn budget that will be published on 26 November, with the equally important need for robust parliamentary scrutiny .

“Having considered the committee’s views carefully, I can confirm that the Scottish Government will publish the 2026/27 Scottish Budget and associated documents on Tuesday, 13 January.”

This means the Budget will be published less than four months before the 2026 Scottish Parliament election on May 7. This gives MSPs only two months to debate the Budget Bill and undertake negotiations. The SNP will need the support of MSPs from other parties to pass their Budget.