Vulnerable and elderly people receiving home care support from Oxfordshire County Council are bracing themselves for the second increase in charges in six months.

Since April this year 350 -- or 17.5 per cent -- of the 2,000 people receiving high-level domiciliary care, costing £14.73 an hour, will have seen bills go up by 12 per cent.

In real terms that means clients with more than £20,500 savings (excluding property) now pay on average £20 a week more for the service.

The latest increase was decided after a review of the authority's so-called fairer charging system, but has been criticised as 'insensitive', coming at a time when the authority has scrapped parking charges at its Water Eaton and Thornhill park-and-ride sites.

And next month County Hall will lose thousands of pounds in income and missed fines when it makes hundreds of on-street parking spaces in Oxford city centre free after 6pm on weekdays and all day on Sunday. Liberal Democrat county councillor Janet Godden, shadow member for health and community services, said: "Two increases of six per cent in one calendar year is an enormous increase -- even if it is only to be applied to people who pay for their care -- it's still a hell of an increase for old people whose income is quite often fixed.

"The county council does have a corporate charging policy and that says charging should be consistent, so I don't understand why the council can waive park-and-ride parking charges and increase care costs for the elderly. It seems so totally insensitive.

"They intend to keep council tax increases down -- but what the price will be, I shudder to think."

The council is facing the prospect of large budget overspends in areas of significant demand.

The authority's learning and culture and social and healthcare directorates face year-end overspends of £3m plus the added pressure of having to factor in big losses in the county's annual supporting people grant.

That money is used to fund projects helping vulnerable people -- including the elderly -- and the indication is that any shortfall will be picked up by the council's social services department.

Next month, Oxfordshire's supporting people commissioning body meets to discuss the cuts.

A County Hall spokesman said: "While the council could have increased the charges to these people dramatically in one go, we felt it would have been unfair to do so.

"We have therefore raised the charges incrementally each year and met the shortfall through efficiencies elsewhere. This year's increase will mean £20 a week more on average for this group."

Mary Daniel, director of Age Concern Oxfordshire, said: "I would have preferred to have seen continued charging for car parking.

"These increases are huge, but I recognise the need for the county council to balance its budget."

Have you or a relation been affected by the increase in care costs? If so, call our newsdesk on 01865 425444.