SIR - In response to a recent article in your paper headlined "Countdown to the end of elderly care" I would like to point out that this Association (formerly RCHA Hereford and Worcester), together with other care organisations, has been working for the past 20 years to try and persuade the local authority to deal with the inadequacy of the fees they pay for publicly-funded elderly people who need care.

The situation is becoming worse. Social Services are only offering a 2.3 per cent increase on fees paid for elderly care this year. Care homeowners are facing increases in wages, registration fees, CRB checks, gas and other utilities charges, plus an increase in the care needs of many elderly people far in excess of this amount.

I believe the council generally pays about 60 per cent of the costs of care. One has to ask - do they only pay 60 per cent of the cost of maintaining roads, installing new computer systems, building new offices and leisure facilities?

Some people may not be aware that the council has a statutory duty to care for vulnerable people and to pay the full cost of their care. The reason they have not been doing this for many years is that families of people who cannot afford to pay for this themselves have been willing to pay top-ups which are necessary for homes to provide good quality care.

There is emotional blackmail involved here as people naturally want their relative to have the best possible care and will therefore agree to pay the top-up.

This two-tier system seems likely to continue and get more critical as long as councils fail to meet their statutory obligations.

MICHAEL NOOTT,

Chairman,

Worcestershire & Herefordshire Group WMCA.