PENSIONERS have attacked plans to increase charges for home care and meals on wheels in Westminster.

Care costs including help with bathing and shopping would rise by around six per cent, under proposals drawn up by Westminster Council.

Charges are currently set at £13.70 per hour for the first four hours, but this is set to leap to £14.40 from April 27 this year.

After four hours of care, service users now pay £11.60 per hour, but under the proposals, the charge would increase to £12.30.

Meals on wheels packages would also see a dramatic rise of 10.9 per cent, from £2.30 per meal to £2.55.

Pensioner Roselyn Hall, 84, who lives on the Lisson Green Estate, in Lisson Grove, receives help three days a week with bathing and said she would struggle to meet the new charges if introduced.

She said: "I would be more likely to stop using the help if the costs went up. I just don't know how I'm going to pay."

Worried Lorenza Rodriguez, who is given help with shopping each week, added her concerns.

She said: "Where am I going to get the money? Our pensions aren't going up. I would have to cut back on how much I use the service, but it's really useful because they do the things I can't do."

The council has defended the proposals, saying they will lead to savings of around £100,000.

Paula Foulds, assistant director of finance for adults, health and housing, stated: "Each year the level of the charge is reviewed and the director of adult services is delegated with the authority to increase the charges in line with inflation.

"In reviewing the business plan for 2009/2010 the level of current charges was benchmarked with other London Authorities which identified that the City Council's charges are significantly below the average.

"It is therefore proposed to recommend an increase in the level of charges over the next three years in order to bring the City Council's charges in line with other London boroughs."

Cllr Ed Argar, Westminster Council's cabinet member for health and adult social services, is set to make a decision over the charges in the next few weeks.