Disabled people in Moray are taxed more than any other local authority in Scotland.
That was the findings of Scotland Against the Care Tax, a campaign organisation supported by a raft of organisations throughout Scotland.
Moray Councillor Sean Morton, who is the health and social care spokesman for Moray Labour at the local authority, said that there is evidence to suggest that some Moray residents are paying up to 50% of their income to receive care.
“It is a tax on them being sick or disabled and it discourages those people from saving or getting out to work,” Councillor Morton said, adding: “There is evidence to suggest that some Moray residents are paying up to 50% of their income to receive care. It is a tax on them being sick or disabled and it discourages those people from saving or getting out to work.
“This week, Scotland Against The Care Tax revealed that Moray taxed the disabled more than any other authority in Scotland for community care. Our eagerness to tax people for care has meant that the Petitions Committee of the Scottish Parliament is writing to the council for an explanation.
“We need to work to find a way to end these unfair charges, just like Fife Council has done – what is more we need to work to abolish it across the country.”
Voluntary organisations working with people affected by the care tax recently met with COSLA – however, they were unable to reach agreement on a raft of suggestions put forward for a fairer tax.
Care Tax is calculated on how much services cost, the income and savings of the person requiring care and what allowable expenses they have.
The calculation results in wide variations on what has to be paid throughout the country – from 0% in Shetland to 100% in Moray.