THE majority of people in Scotland believe public services should be extended – even if that means an increase in tax.

Three-quarters of Scots (73%) believe there should be more government services regardless of whether it leads to a tax hike, research from professional services firm Deloitte suggests. This is a larger proportion of the population than in Wales (70%), England (69%) and Northern Ireland (61%).

Deloitte’s The State of the State 2018-19 report found four-fifths of Scots (85%) are concerned about the future provision of public services – 15% more than the UK average.

With the UK Budget due on October 29 and the Scottish Government budget to follow on December 12, the report follows the recent announcement by Prime Minster Theresa May that austerity is “over”.

More than a quarter of Scots (27%) said they had felt the impact of austerity compared with 31% of people UK-wide. In 2010, more than half the UK population felt a reduction in public spending was necessary. The survey also reveals most people across the UK believe people should be penalised for wasting public sector time, such as wrongly calling emergency services or failing to turn up for a GP appointment.

The data was compiled by Ipsos Mori, which surveyed 1463 adults across the UK and 123 people in Scotland. The report was produced with the think tank Reform.

More Scots (49%) believe the state has tried to do too much and individuals should take greater responsibility for their lives than those in England (41%), Wales (45%) and Northern Ireland (34%).

Angela Mitchell of Deloitte said: “Following Theresa May’s recent announcement that austerity is over and with both the UK Government and Scottish Government due to present their budgets, this survey shows the majority of people in Scotland would accept tax rises if it led to increased spending on public services.

“Whilst this is consistent with public sentiment across the UK, the data reveals a slightly different ethos in Scotland where support for increased spending and citizens taking greater responsibility for their own lives is higher than anywhere else and concerns about the future provision of public services is also greater than in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

"This distinction in public sentiment can in part be attributed to further devolution powers in borrowing, tax and welfare which have created a public sector landscape in Scotland which is different from the rest of the UK.”