Our budget

Budget 2024 to 2025

Our Future Highland

Budget engagement for 2024/25

Our budget engagement for 2024/25 is themed in line with the approved Council Programme, “Our Future Highland”.

The Highland Council has a net budget of £712 million which we use to provide many essential services across a region covering a third of Scotland.

Highland is a great place to live, work and do business. It's home to 238,000 people and welcomes millions of visitors each year.

We know we will have less money in the future and we want to focus our resources on key priorities.

Council tax; income from fees and charges; and use of balances contribute to our budget, but the biggest part is grant funding from Scottish Government.

As a result of increasing costs and inflation, we expect our budget to decrease further in the next three years.

Our options are to reduce our costs, to increase our income, or a mixture of both.

Although our budget has greatly reduced over the past few years we’re still continuing to invest in some really big projects, and work with partners to boost the economy and create jobs.  We plan to invest £343 million over the next 5 years in capital projects such as schools, infrastructure and housing.

As we plan for next year’s budget, we want to hear about what is important to you, your family and your community. What should we change, do better, or stop doing? This is your council and your future Highland.

We would like to hear your views on how we spend the budget.

Take part in our survey here.

Try our budget simulator and see if you can balance the budget.

You can also contact us on yourvoice@highland.gov.uk with your thoughts or questions.