Scotland Ministers consider tax rises for wealthy as Greens and Lib Dems push spending priorities

Ministers in Scotland are contemplating modest tax increases for the better off and plan to scrap the freeze in council tax rates as they search for extra money in this week's budget.

- Severin Carrell Libby Brooks

Shona Robison, the Scottish finance secretary, is under pressure to provide a vote-winning budget tomorrow after being given a record amount of funding from the Treasury for next year.

She is expected to increase spending on health, confirm up to £160m in spending on a new universal winter fuel payment for pensioners, and promise no fresh cuts to public services.

Meanwhile, opposition parties are clamouring for extra spending on their policy priorities as they broker deals with Robison to provide the votes the minority government needs to get her £47bn budget passed.

Robison has been given an additional £1.4bn for day-to-day spending to use by April next year, and a further £2.8bn for the next financial year, by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, as well as £700m in extra money for infrastructure projects.

Yet despite that, the Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI), Scotland's leading economics little room to manoeuvre because she has overspent on public sector pay deals.

Who will back the budget?