A MAN with learning difficulties has been left housebound after his charges for day care more than tripled.

Lawrence Walsh, 69, says he can’t afford the price hike for the daily trips for day care and for the first time in his life has had to stay at home instead.

The monthly charges have rocketed from £98 to £350.

Mr Walsh of Tonge Moor, has been using day care centres his entire life after being born with learning difficulties.

For the past five years, Mr Walsh has been going to Thicketford House Community Care Centre, paying £98 per month for its services from Monday to Friday, from 9am to around 3.15pm.

At the end of April, the family say they were told the payments would be increased to £350 per month.

Catherine Walker, Mr Walsh’s sister and carer, says that the council informed her of this change in a voicemail.

Mrs Walker, 66, said: “Since they put the cost up, I’ve had to keep him at home. It’s just too much, £350 a month.

“He’s being going to a day care centre all his life.”

She added that the services Mr Walsh would now pay more than three times as much for have remained the same, including walks, art activities and swimming trips.

Ms Walker said: “It’s £350 for the same services, by the same people, at the same place. I just can’t see how it can be fair.”

Bolton Cares provides the service, but Bolton Council takes the payments and carries out financial assessments as part of a means testing process, according to Bolton Cares.

In October last year Mr Walsh’s pension credits increased by £265 after it was discovered that the government has been underpaying him for years, says Mrs Walker.

She says Bolton Council told her the increase to the day care costs was in response to Mr Walsh’s credit rise, but Mrs Walker feels that her brother should not have to hand all the pension credit money over.

Mrs Walker said: “Why should he have to pay all of his pension credit? He’s not gaining anything after being underpaid. The reason for the pension credit is because his pension is not enough, all of that increase will go to the town hall.”

Bolton Council says it is investigating Mr Walsh’s day care increase.

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