Orkney Islands: spending, reserves and debt
Orkney Islands is one of Scotland's 32 councils, with an estimated 21,920 residents in mid-2025.
Key figures
What the figures show
The Scottish Government records net spending on services of £108.3 million by Orkney Islands in 2024-25; education was the biggest single service, at 42% of the services that cost money.
Usable reserves stood at £241.5 million at 31 March 2025, of which £13.8 million was in the general fund, according to the Scottish Government's finance statistics. Over the year to 31 March 2025 reserves fell by £11.9 million. The peak in this series was £285.6 million at 31 March 2022.
Outstanding borrowing was £50.0 million at 31 March 2026, from the MHCLG borrowing and investment table, against investments of £286.3 million. Borrowing is 5.0 times its level at 31 March 2010 (£10.0 million). The latest quarter, to 30 June 2026, shows £45.0 million.
Divided by the ONS mid-2025 population estimate of 21,920, borrowing comes to £2,281 per resident, 26th highest of the 32 councils in Scotland with money pages here.
For 2026-27, the council's Band D charge is £1,669.07, +6.0% on 2025-26 and 3.5 times the £480.00 of 1996-97. The Scottish Government's band table puts Band A at £1,112.71 and Band H at £4,089.22.
Orkney Islands spending by service, 2024-25
| Service | Net spending, 2024-25 | Share of services that cost money | Per resident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | £48.9 million | 42.2% | £2,228.83 |
| Social work (adults and children) | £32.9 million | 28.4% | £1,501.78 |
| Roads and transport | £9.5 million | 8.2% | £431.71 |
| Central services | £8.0 million | 6.9% | £364.19 |
| Culture and leisure | £5.5 million | 4.7% | £248.63 |
| Building, planning and development | £5.1 million | 4.4% | £233.90 |
| Environmental services (including waste) | £4.6 million | 4.0% | £208.90 |
| Housing (not council housing) | £1.5 million | 1.3% | £67.52 |
| Trading services | −£7.6 million | net income | £-346.49 |
| Total | £108.3 million | £4,938.96 |
History
Orkney Islands: reserves at 31 March
| Date | Reserves |
|---|---|
| 31 March 2017 | £260.9 million |
| 31 March 2018 | £263.3 million |
| 31 March 2019 | £273.8 million |
| 31 March 2020 | £229.6 million |
| 31 March 2021 | £282.9 million |
| 31 March 2022 | £285.6 million |
| 31 March 2023 | £250.8 million |
| 31 March 2024 | £253.4 million |
| 31 March 2025 | £241.5 million |
Orkney Islands: borrowing and investments
| Date | Borrowing | Investments |
|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2010 | £10.0 million | £177.9 million |
| 31 March 2011 | £40.0 million | £214.8 million |
| 31 March 2012 | £40.0 million | £212.6 million |
| 31 March 2013 | £40.0 million | £218.3 million |
| 31 March 2014 | £40.0 million | £209.7 million |
| 31 March 2015 | £40.0 million | £226.0 million |
| 31 March 2016 | £40.0 million | £223.5 million |
| 31 March 2017 | £35.2 million | £247.1 million |
| 31 March 2018 | £30.2 million | £244.0 million |
| 31 March 2019 | £30.2 million | £257.4 million |
| 31 March 2020 | £35.1 million | £240.2 million |
| 31 March 2021 | £35.1 million | £295.6 million |
| 31 March 2022 | £35.1 million | £293.9 million |
| 31 March 2023 | £30.1 million | £258.3 million |
| 31 March 2024 | £45.0 million | £270.7 million |
| 31 March 2025 | £50.0 million | £263.3 million |
| 31 March 2026 | £50.0 million | £286.3 million |
Orkney Islands: Band D by year
| Year | Band D |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | £480.00 |
| 1997-98 | £515.00 |
| 1998-99 | £595.00 |
| 1999-00 | £624.00 |
| 2000-01 | £690.00 |
| 2001-02 | £754.00 |
| 2002-03 | £824.00 |
| 2003-04 | £900.00 |
| 2004-05 | £940.00 |
| 2005-06 | £973.00 |
| 2006-07 | £1,007.00 |
| 2007-08 | £1,037.00 |
| 2008-09 | £1,037.00 |
| 2009-10 | £1,037.00 |
| 2010-11 | £1,037.00 |
| 2011-12 | £1,037.00 |
| 2012-13 | £1,037.00 |
| 2013-14 | £1,037.00 |
| 2014-15 | £1,037.00 |
| 2015-16 | £1,037.00 |
| 2016-17 | £1,037.00 |
| 2017-18 | £1,068.00 |
| 2018-19 | £1,100.00 |
| 2019-20 | £1,152.69 |
| 2020-21 | £1,208.48 |
| 2021-22 | £1,208.48 |
| 2022-23 | £1,244.73 |
| 2023-24 | £1,369.21 |
| 2024-25 | £1,369.21 |
| 2025-26 | £1,574.60 |
| 2026-27 | £1,669.07 |
Orkney Islands figures as CSV · What each figure measures
Orkney Islands council tax bands, 2026-27
As published by the Scottish Government (council tax by band).
| Band | Annual amount |
|---|---|
| Band A | £1,112.71 |
| Band B | £1,298.17 |
| Band C | £1,483.62 |
| Band D | £1,669.07 |
| Band E | £2,192.97 |
| Band F | £2,712.24 |
| Band G | £3,268.60 |
| Band H | £4,089.22 |
Who has power over Orkney Islands
Every body that makes decisions for Orkney Islands, from the street up to the G20. Each one links to its page on the official record. How the ten levels work.
Level 1: Neighbourhood and community power
Residents' and tenants' groups, neighbourhood forums and local policing panels.
Level 2: Parish, town and community councils
Community councils, where the area has them, sit below the council.
Level 3: Local councils
- Orkney Islands council this page
- Orkney Islands in official figures population, pay, house prices, crime
Level 5: Devolved and state governments
- Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government makes law for Scotland on devolved subjects
Level 6: National government
- Orkney and Shetland: Mr Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat) MP
- All 650 MPs votes, interests and costs
- UK government and Parliament official figures and sources
Level 7: Regional blocs and supranational bodies
- Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (CoE / ECtHR) The UK Government says the United Kingdom was one of the Council of Europe's founding members.
Level 8: The UN and global treaty bodies
- United Nations (General Assembly and Security Council) The UN lists the United Kingdom as a member admitted on 24 October 1945.
- United Nations Security Council (UNSC) The UK is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and holds the veto, according to the UN.
- NATO NATO lists the United Kingdom among its 12 founding members, which signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C.
- World Health Organization (WHO) WHO's list of member states includes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- World Trade Organization (WTO) The WTO says the United Kingdom has been a WTO member since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT since 1 January 1948.
- Commonwealth of Nations The UK is one of the 56 members, one of three European members with Cyprus and Malta, and the Commonwealth Secretariat is headquartered at Marlborough House in London.
Level 9: The IMF, World Bank and global finance
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) The UK has been a member since 27 December 1945 and has a quota of SDR 20,155.1 million (IMF country page for the United Kingdom).
- World Bank Group (WBG) The UK holds 3.75% of voting power in the IBRD (data as of 30 June 2026) and 6.92% in IDA (as of 30 June 2026), according to the World Bank's voting tables.
Level 10: G7, G20, Davos and global forums
Sources
Scottish Government finance statistics (spending) · Scottish Government finance statistics (reserves) · MHCLG borrowing and investment table · Scottish Government Band D table · council tax by band · ONS population, mid-2025. Read 15 October 2026; file fingerprints (SHA-256) are listed on the council money page.
More on Orkney Islands
Figures checked 15 October 2026. Link moved or figure out of date? Tell us.