(file picture) Doctor doing an ultrasound of baby on pregnant woman (Image: Getty)
Campaigners are enraged over the SNP's new tourist tax plans, which they say will do little to curb overtourism in the Scottish Highlands and will instead see pregnant women slapped with an unfair levy.
The tourist tax, which is expected to raise about ￡10million-a-year for local councils, will see visitors having to pay a 5 percent levy per-room per-night.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Take back criminals or lose out on foreign aid and visa deals, countries told
48 Comments
Fury as asylum seekers put up at posh manor house at taxpayers' expense
50 Comments
Reform UK handed massive win as two-thirds of punters bet on them to win most seats
36 Comments
Rachel Reeves warned her 'toxic cocktail' is 'the final nail in the coffin' for farmers
48 Comments
Lee Anderson's stern nine-word warning to the Left as Nigel Farage secures his biggest win
42 Comments
Kemi Badenoch hits back at vice president in furious Nigeria row
28 Comments
Keir Starmer will have a migraine after this latest farmers protest over cruel tax hike
53 Comments
Shocking new map shows 100 seats Labour will lose in next General Election - full list
596 Comments
Keir Starmer 'could have ended the channel migrant crisis by now' with one simple move
486 Comments
Reform slaps down claims of electoral pacts with the Tories in local elections
39 Comments
Rachel Reeves is keeping Britain stuck in a doom loop of low growth
76 Comments
Labour set to launch immediate tax raid in one part of UK as homeowners face ￡2,000 bill
37 Comments
Fury as Labour ministers spend ￡130k of taxpayer cash decorating offices
26 Comments
Keir Starmer needs to wake up on immigration policies ruining UK for people like me
390 Comments
Fury as SNP's new tourist tax may see pregnant women charged for giving birth in hospital
5 Comments
Moment Kay Burley grills Labour minister over migrant housing: 'Where will you put them?'
132 Comments
Reeves steps up Labour's plan for Brexit betrayal as she begs for place in EU programme
51 Comments
Starmer 'must explain' decision to give UN aid agency ￡13m despite alleged Hamas link
13 Comments
Angela Rayner torn apart for planning changes that will 'bulldoze concerns of communities'
460 Comments
Tony Blair calls out Keir Starmer over Labour's brutal tax raids
101 Comments
Take back criminals or lose out on foreign aid and visa deals, countries told
48 Comments
Fury as asylum seekers put up at posh manor house at taxpayers' expense
50 Comments
Reform UK handed massive win as two-thirds of punters bet on them to win most seats
36 Comments
Rachel Reeves warned her 'toxic cocktail' is 'the final nail in the coffin' for farmers
48 Comments
Lee Anderson's stern nine-word warning to the Left as Nigel Farage secures his biggest win
42 Comments
Kemi Badenoch hits back at vice president in furious Nigeria row
28 Comments
Keir Starmer will have a migraine after this latest farmers protest over cruel tax hike
53 Comments
Shocking new map shows 100 seats Labour will lose in next General Election - full list
596 Comments
Keir Starmer 'could have ended the channel migrant crisis by now' with one simple move
486 Comments
Reform slaps down claims of electoral pacts with the Tories in local elections
39 Comments
Rachel Reeves is keeping Britain stuck in a doom loop of low growth
76 Comments
Labour set to launch immediate tax raid in one part of UK as homeowners face ￡2,000 bill
37 Comments
Fury as Labour ministers spend ￡130k of taxpayer cash decorating offices
26 Comments
Keir Starmer needs to wake up on immigration policies ruining UK for people like me
390 Comments
Fury as SNP's new tourist tax may see pregnant women charged for giving birth in hospital
5 Comments
Moment Kay Burley grills Labour minister over migrant housing: 'Where will you put them?'
132 Comments
Reeves steps up Labour's plan for Brexit betrayal as she begs for place in EU programme
51 Comments
Starmer 'must explain' decision to give UN aid agency ￡13m despite alleged Hamas link
13 Comments
Angela Rayner torn apart for planning changes that will 'bulldoze concerns of communities'
460 Comments
Tony Blair calls out Keir Starmer over Labour's brutal tax raids
101 Comments
Take back criminals or lose out on foreign aid and visa deals, countries told
48 Comments
Fury as asylum seekers put up at posh manor house at taxpayers' expense
50 Comments
Reform UK handed massive win as two-thirds of punters bet on them to win most seats
36 Comments
Rachel Reeves warned her 'toxic cocktail' is 'the final nail in the coffin' for farmers
48 Comments
Lee Anderson's stern nine-word warning to the Left as Nigel Farage secures his biggest win
42 Comments
Kemi Badenoch hits back at vice president in furious Nigeria row
28 Comments
Keir Starmer will have a migraine after this latest farmers protest over cruel tax hike
53 Comments
It has been branded a "shameful levy on the sick" by campaigners in the Scottish Highlands, who argue that people who need overnight hospital care will be slapped with the levy.
For those living in the Highlands, their closest hospital may be Raigmore in Inverness, around 100 miles away. Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT), based in the far north of Scotland, dubbed the system "a tax on expectant mums and unborn babies", the Northern Times reports.
READ MORE Tony Blair calls out Keir Starmer over Labour's brutal tax raids
Raigmore Hospital is 100 miles away from some Scots, but it's still their closest hospital (Image: Getty)
CHAT vice-chairman Iain Gregory said the new tax won't address the real concerns Highlands residents have about overtourism, while simultaneously hitting them with the charge when they travel for medical care.
"We all know that the main issue we face in the Highlands is the exponential rise in ‘wild camping’, mainly by motorhomes, which are to be found parked up in every possible nook and cranny around the North Coast 500", he said.
"And there is little doubt that the impact of huge numbers of campervans visiting our area is seen by many people as something that needs to be addressed."
The tax isn't applied to campervans, motorhomes, campsites or cruise ship passengers. However, in the council's report, officials claim that those travelling for NHS treatment could claim the expenses back from the health board.
Don't miss
Reeves steps up plan for Brexit betrayal as she begs for place in EU programme [INSIGHT]
Labour launches war on councils but minister admits new prisons plan is doomed [REPORT]
Fury as Labour ministers spend ￡130k of taxpayer cash decorating offices [REPORT]
A campervan driving through the Scottish Highlands (Image: Getty)
Trending
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Mr Gregory added: “To summarise matters, the campervans that seem to cause the most disruption to life in our area will not be subject to the proposed tax, while the thousands of Caithness people who have to stay overnight in Inverness in order to access medical appointments – or who simply wish to visit friends and family, or go to the theatre, or have a break – will have to pay a five per cent tax, plus VAT, as they are now decreed to be ‘tourists’.
“And a pregnant mum, already forced to undergo the torturous 100-mile-plus journey to Raigmore to have her baby, and who requires to stay overnight before or after admission, will be taxed by Highland Council.
“I note the council claims that ‘NHS policy states that patients can claim expenses from their local NHS board’. I would suggest that someone in Highland Council needs to have a careful look at that policy. The current rate of reimbursement, as published by NHS Highland, is an overnight B&B rate of ‘up to ￡50 per person per night’.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Take back criminals or lose out on foreign aid and visa deals, countries told
48 Comments
Fury as asylum seekers put up at posh manor house at taxpayers' expense
51 Comments
Reform UK handed massive win as two-thirds of punters bet on them to win most seats
36 Comments
Rachel Reeves warned her 'toxic cocktail' is 'the final nail in the coffin' for farmers
48 Comments
Lee Anderson's stern nine-word warning to the Left as Nigel Farage secures his biggest win
42 Comments
Kemi Badenoch hits back at vice president in furious Nigeria row
28 Comments
Keir Starmer will have a migraine after this latest farmers protest over cruel tax hike
53 Comments
Shocking new map shows 100 seats Labour will lose in next General Election - full list
596 Comments
Keir Starmer 'could have ended the channel migrant crisis by now' with one simple move
486 Comments
Reform slaps down claims of electoral pacts with the Tories in local elections
39 Comments
Rachel Reeves is keeping Britain stuck in a doom loop of low growth
76 Comments
Labour set to launch immediate tax raid in one part of UK as homeowners face ￡2,000 bill
37 Comments
Fury as Labour ministers spend ￡130k of taxpayer cash decorating offices
26 Comments
Keir Starmer needs to wake up on immigration policies ruining UK for people like me
390 Comments
Fury as SNP's new tourist tax may see pregnant women charged for giving birth in hospital
5 Comments
Moment Kay Burley grills Labour minister over migrant housing: 'Where will you put them?'
131 Comments
Reeves steps up Labour's plan for Brexit betrayal as she begs for place in EU programme
51 Comments
Starmer 'must explain' decision to give UN aid agency ￡13m despite alleged Hamas link
13 Comments
Angela Rayner torn apart for planning changes that will 'bulldoze concerns of communities'
449 Comments
Tony Blair calls out Keir Starmer over Labour's brutal tax raids
101 Comments
Take back criminals or lose out on foreign aid and visa deals, countries told
48 Comments
Fury as asylum seekers put up at posh manor house at taxpayers' expense
51 Comments
Reform UK handed massive win as two-thirds of punters bet on them to win most seats
36 Comments
Rachel Reeves warned her 'toxic cocktail' is 'the final nail in the coffin' for farmers
48 Comments
Lee Anderson's stern nine-word warning to the Left as Nigel Farage secures his biggest win
42 Comments
Kemi Badenoch hits back at vice president in furious Nigeria row
28 Comments
Keir Starmer will have a migraine after this latest farmers protest over cruel tax hike
53 Comments
Shocking new map shows 100 seats Labour will lose in next General Election - full list
596 Comments
Keir Starmer 'could have ended the channel migrant crisis by now' with one simple move
486 Comments
Reform slaps down claims of electoral pacts with the Tories in local elections
39 Comments
Rachel Reeves is keeping Britain stuck in a doom loop of low growth
76 Comments
Labour set to launch immediate tax raid in one part of UK as homeowners face ￡2,000 bill
37 Comments
Fury as Labour ministers spend ￡130k of taxpayer cash decorating offices
26 Comments
Keir Starmer needs to wake up on immigration policies ruining UK for people like me
390 Comments
Fury as SNP's new tourist tax may see pregnant women charged for giving birth in hospital
5 Comments
Moment Kay Burley grills Labour minister over migrant housing: 'Where will you put them?'
131 Comments
Reeves steps up Labour's plan for Brexit betrayal as she begs for place in EU programme
51 Comments
Starmer 'must explain' decision to give UN aid agency ￡13m despite alleged Hamas link
13 Comments
Angela Rayner torn apart for planning changes that will 'bulldoze concerns of communities'
449 Comments
Tony Blair calls out Keir Starmer over Labour's brutal tax raids
101 Comments
Take back criminals or lose out on foreign aid and visa deals, countries told
48 Comments
Fury as asylum seekers put up at posh manor house at taxpayers' expense
51 Comments
Reform UK handed massive win as two-thirds of punters bet on them to win most seats
36 Comments
Rachel Reeves warned her 'toxic cocktail' is 'the final nail in the coffin' for farmers
48 Comments
Lee Anderson's stern nine-word warning to the Left as Nigel Farage secures his biggest win
42 Comments
Kemi Badenoch hits back at vice president in furious Nigeria row
28 Comments
Keir Starmer will have a migraine after this latest farmers protest over cruel tax hike
53 Comments
"I would be delighted to hear from Highland Council where precisely in Inverness B&B accommodation can be obtained for ‘up to ￡50 per night’ and still leave headroom for the person to pay an additional tax to the council.
“The truth is that this proposal is a shameful levy on the sick and a tax on expectant mums and unborn babies. If it goes through then thousands of people from Caithness, and all over the Highlands, will be taxed because they are ill. We call on Highland Council to have a rapid rethink of this disastrous proposal.”
A Highland Council spokesperson said: “The Council is currently carrying out a public statutory consultation to seek views on the proposed introduction of a Visitor Levy scheme across the Highlands. To ensure that opinions and views are included in the statutory consultation we encourage people to register their comments by visiting the Council’s website at: www.highland.gov.uk/vlconsultation.”