Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Severin Carrell Scotland editor

Edinburgh councillors say new tourist tax will help build council housing

Shoppers on Princes Street in Edinburgh walk past tents and sleeping bags erected by homeless people
Shoppers on Princes Street in Edinburgh walk past tents and sleeping bags erected by homeless people. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

Councillors in Edinburgh are hoping to build new council houses and improve public parks thanks to a new tourist tax that could raise up to £50m a year.

The city council is expected to become the first in the UK to introduce a comprehensive visitor levy using new government powers, with tourists and visitors paying a daily 5% surcharge on their beds from July 2026.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.