abrdn Income Credit Strategies Fund

Expenses. The expense of preparation, printing and mailing of the enclosed Proxy Card and accompanying Notice and Proxy Statement will be borne by the Fund. The Fund will reimburse banks, brokers and others for their reasonable expenses in forwarding proxy solicitation material to the beneficial owners of the shares of the Fund. In order to obtain the necessary quorum at the Meeting, supplementary solicitation may be made by mail, telephone or personal interview. Such solicitation may be conducted by, among others, officers, Trustees and employees of the Fund, the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or the Administrator.

EQ Fund Solutions, LLC ("EQ") has been retained to assist in the solicitation of proxies and will receive an estimated fee of $2,500 and be reimbursed for its reasonable expenses, which are expected to be approximately $825-$1,350.

Solicitation and Voting of Proxies. Solicitation of proxies is being made primarily by the mailing of this Proxy Statement with its enclosures on or about April 14, 2025. As mentioned above, EQ has been engaged to assist in the solicitation of proxies. As the date of the Meeting approaches, certain shareholders of the Fund may receive a call from a representative of EQ, if the Fund has not yet received their vote. Authorization to permit EQ to execute proxies may be obtained by telephonic instructions from shareholders of the Fund. Proxies that are obtained telephonically will be recorded in accordance with procedures that management of the Fund believes are reasonably designed to ensure that the identity of the shareholder casting the vote is accurately determined and that the voting instructions of the shareholder are accurately determined.

Beneficial Owners. As of April 7, 2025, based upon filings made with the SEC until such date, the following table shows certain information concerning persons who may be deemed beneficial owners of 5% or more of a class of shares of the Fund because they possessed or shared voting or investment power with respect to the Fund's shares:

• These entities jointly filed a Schedule 13G for the share amount and percentage shown as of September 30, 2024.

** These entities jointly filed a Schedule 13G for the share amount and percentage shown as of September 30, 2024.

Shareholder Proposals. If a shareholder intends to present a proposal, including the nomination of a trustee, at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund to be held in 2026 and desires to have the proposal included in the Fund's proxy statement and form of proxy for that meeting, the shareholder must deliver the proposal to the Secretary of the Fund at the office of the Funds, 1900 Market Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, and such proposal must be received by the Secretary no later than December 15, 2025.

Shareholders wishing to present proposals, including the nomination of a trustee, at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund to be held in 2026 which they do not wish to be included in the Fund's proxy materials must send written notice of such proposals to the Secretary of the Fund at the office of the Fund, 1900 Market Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, and such notice must be received by the Secretary no sooner than January 28, 2026 and no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on February 27, 2026 in the form prescribed from time to time in the Fund's bylaws.

SHAREHOLDERS WHO DO NOT EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING AND WHO WISH TO HAVE THEIR SHARES VOTED ARE REQUESTED TO DATE AND SIGN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AND RETURN IT IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. NO POSTAGE IS REQUIRED IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES.