Voluntary costs increase

Scottish voluntary organisations are to face a massive increase
in costs as a result of the Regulation of Care Bill and the need to
pay water bills from which they were previously exempt, according
to Capability Scotland, the largest support organisation for
disabled people in the country.

Voluntary organisations will have to train staff to comply with
the regulations and invest in bringing premises up to the new
standards. It is expected that these costs will have to be met from
charitable donations.

Capability Scotland said that by 2005 the combined effect of the
regulation of care and the scrapping of charities relief on water
bills will add £200,000 to their annual costs.

Kate Higgins, policy officer with Capability Scotland, said: “We
would be concerned if we were having to obtain funds solely to meet
new tax and charge burdens.”

A Scottish executive spokesperson said that the executive was
“considering the situation sympathetically”.