CHARGES for a service for older people in Newport have risen after a Welsh Government grant ended.

Users of domestic support services have been told that the cost of the service will rise from £9 to £12, according to Newport City Council.

It said that domestic support services, which help older people with keeping their homes clean, were previously subsidised by the Welsh Government.

However its grant has now ended and there will be an increase in the amount charged as a result, a spokeswoman said.

“The increase covers the cost of providing the service,”

she said.

Another domestic support service for carers will see no charges levied, the council added.

It added that support services previously supplied by Age Concern on its behalf have nowbeen transferred to the charity’s social enterprise business Choices – which donates its profits back to Age Concern Gwent.

Alway Labour councillor John Guy brought thematter up at a full council meeting last week after he was told about it by a resident who was recieving the domestic support service.

Corporate director for care and customers Stuart Greenwell said that Age Concern was offering users the chance to continue the service, albeit at full cost.

Mr Guy told the Argus that the letter sent to service users, which said the charges were per hour, had blamed the loss of funding on the “recent financial crisis”.

He said users might have to think about not using the service: “That’s the reality of it.

“If you are retired and you are on a standstill wage there’s times when you have to decide what are you going to do.

“There’s lots of people deciding that in lots of ways.”