The Liberal Democrats have expressed anger at Haringey’s inflation-busting care charge hike for older residents, which will massively outstrip next week’s State Pension increase.

Labour-run Haringey Council plans to increase charges for domiciliary care (care in your own home) by 15%, and residential charges will rocket by over a third (35%). Meanwhile, on 9 April pensioners will receive only a 3.6% increase in their State Pension and 4.4% increase in their Pension Credit from the Labour Government.

Cllr Richard Wilson, Lib Dem spokesperson on Health and Social Services comments:

“These outrageous increases are unacceptable.Labour’s residential care charge increase is nine times higher than the Labour Government’s pension increases.How can a pensioner afford to pay up to more than a third more for Haringey’s care services, when their pension is increasing by less than 4%?

“I expect many of Haringey’s most vulnerable pensioners will have to cut back on the care they receive because of this hike in charges by Labour.

“Government inspectors found that the care services Haringey are providing to pensioners are amongst the worst in the country, and gave them only a one star rating.Why should pensioners pay so much more for services that Government inspectors say are getting worse rather than better?”