A RISE in Council home care charges for elderly and disabled people has been slammed by charities.

The 3.8 per cent increase, which Bolton Council says is in line with inflation, will see people paying more for services including council-run residential accommodation, home and day care, and community transport.

The increase will see the weekly cost of high dependency home care, which includes washing bathing and cooking, rise from £175 to £181.65. Council owned residential accommodation will go up from £394 to £409 a week.

Gareth Evans, chief executive of Age Concern in Bolton, pointed out that the rise was greater than the Government's 3.6 per cent increase in the basic state pension from £84.25 to £87.30 per week.

Mr Evans said that although the hike was "regrettable", central Government funding was the nub of the problem.

"It's deeply regrettable when charges have to go up for vitally important services such as these," he said.

"But as an organisation we are conscious of the huge financial pressures the local authority is under.

"The problem is that essential adult services are not sufficiently funded by the Government and it's local councils that are having to deal with that challenge."

Mr Evans added that tax cuts announced in the budget did not stack up with the increased care charges.

He said: "Elderly people deserve good quality, affordable care services having worked hard and paid their taxes.

"You can't have that if people, particularly high earners, are picking up tax cuts at the same time.

"When you look at the size of the city bonuses being paid to some individuals and then see how we are putting up the price of care for some of the most vulnerable members of our community there's clearly an imbalance that needs addressing. "

Cllr Margaret Clare, the council's executive member for adult services, said she believed the increases were "fairly reasonable".

She pointed out that the less well off, including those people on benefits, would be completely exempt from the charges following assessment.

Cllr Clare said: "We've always had to put the charges up by a limited amount and we're not going above the rate of inflation."

She added that Government funding was a "concern" but said the £3.3 million of adult services savings agreed for the next financial year would "in the main" not affect frontline services.

"We have made the changes without altering the eligibility criteria for services which is something I would never agree to," said Cllr Clare.

"We need to help not only those who are in critical need but also people who may be able to gain some independence."

HOW THE COST HAS GONE UP

Increased weekly charges are: 2006/07 - 2007/08

Council Residential Accommodation = £394 > £409
Home care = £175 > £181.65

The increased daily charges are:

Day care - older people = £22.60 > £23.45
Day care - learning disabilities = £22.20 > £23.05
Day care - physical disabilities = £27.40 > £28.45
Day care - mental health = £25.80 > £26.80

Other non-assessed charges

Transport = £1.60 > £1.65
Community and day care meals = £1.90 > £1.95