Dividend Declaration

BLACKROCK INCOME STRATEGIES TRUST PLC (the "Company")

First Quarterly Dividend for the year to 30 September 2016

The Board of BlackRock Income Strategies Trust plc announces that it is declaring a first quarterly interim dividend in respect of the year to 30 September 2016, of 1.635 pence per share on the ordinary shares of the Company.

As stated in the Company’s Annual Report for the year to 30 September 2015, it is the Board’s intention to set a quarterly dividend rate in the first quarter that will be paid across the first three quarters of the year, with any adjustments that may be required to the total dividends paid for the year to be made to the fourth quarterly dividend.  Total dividends for the year to 30 September 2015 amounted to 6.54 pence per share.  As it is the Board’s expectation that the Company will to continue to pay dividends at least at the current level and to grow the dividend at least in line with inflation, the Board has set the rate for the current quarterly dividend as a quarter of the total dividends paid for the year to 30 September 2015, with any adjustments to the total dividends to be paid for the 2016 financial year to be made when the fourth quarterly dividend is announced.

The first quarterly dividend will be paid on 8 April 2016 to shareholders on the register on 11 March 2016.

The last date for receipt of mandate instructions for those shareholders who wish to join the Dividend Reinvestment Plan is 16 March 2016.

For further information please contact:

Sarah Beynsberger
BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited
Secretary

Tel: [phone]

23 February 2016