Executive admits to council tax blunder

The Scottish executive may reimburse residents of sheltered homes
who have had to pay council tax on their rooms.

It was revealed this week that changes brought in by the Regulation
of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 have led to some residents receiving
bills for more than £1,000 a year.

Under the act, some homes previously classed as care homes became
housing support service providers. People living in self-contained
units within “sheltered home-type accommodation” run by these
providers became tenants liable for council tax.

An executive spokesperson said the act had “inadvertently changed
the status of some people staying in some care homes”, but said it
“wasn’t the intention” of the legislation.

A consultation has been launched to address the situation, which
has only come to light recently.

He said reimbursing residents was “something we will need to look
at”.