A “meaningful uplift” in funding for public services and an end to the freeze on benefits are among Scottish ministers’ demands for the upcoming UK Budget.

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has set out the key issues the Scottish Government wishes to raise in a letter to the Chancellor ahead of his October 29 statement.

The Budget marks the UK Government’s last major fiscal announcement prior to Britain’s withdrawal from the EU in March.

The Scottish Government also wants Philip Hammond to commit to covering Scotland’s allocations of EU funding if a Brexit deal is not reached, and to scrap fees for EU citizens applying for settled status in the UK altogether.

On public services, Mr Mackay wrote: “You will be aware that the Scottish Government has a long standing opposition to the UK Government’s austerity agenda as it disproportionately hurts the poorest and most vulnerable in society.

“The Prime Minister accepted this week that austerity must end. This statement must be backed up by concrete actions at the Budget to provide a meaningful uplift in funding for public services.”

A freeze has been in place for working-age benefits since 2016/17, with Mr Mackay describing the move as resulting in “the biggest reduction in welfare spending in Scotland”.

“I am asking you to use the Autumn Budget to act immediately to lift the benefit freeze, and for benefits to be uprated in line with inflation,” he wrote.

On Brexit, Mr Mackay said: “If agreed in full, the Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and EU sets out that current EU funding would continue until the end of the current Multiannual Financial Framework.

“It is vital that this agreement is reached in order to provide some stability and certainty for stakeholders in Scotland and a no deal situation is not acceptable.

“I am therefore seeking specific assurances that the UK will cover the full allocations that the EU would have provided if a deal is not reached.

“The Scottish Government remains deeply concerned on the lack of detail regarding future funding arrangements to succeed EU programmes.”

He added: “The Scottish Government has made repeated calls on the UK Government not to impose fees on EU citizens applying for settled status.

“It is wrong that EU citizens will be financially burdened by paying a fee to obtain a status which they already enjoy by right and I strongly urge you to scrap the fees for settled status altogether.”

The Scottish Government has already pledged to cover the cost of immigration status fees for EU citizens working in the public sector after Brexit.

Mr Mackay used his letter to call for clarity over increased NHS funding due to come to Scotland as a result of a rise in spending south of the border.

He also requested further action to support the oil and gas industry and set out Scottish ministers’ support for a freeze on duty for whisky – a key demand from industry body, the Scotch Whisky Association.