NORTHUMBERLAND County Council has come under fire after implementing new charges on vulnerable residents living in sheltered accommodation.

People living in schemes are facing a weekly charge of around £30 after the council’s cabinet agreed to implement service and heating charges.

Sheltered housing is for people able to live independently but need occasional support. There are eight sheltered schemes housing 273 tenants across Northumberland.

It comes after the council saved Arnison Close in Allendale from closure in 2018, where service charges were already in place.

Cllr Colin Horncastle said: “This is bringing us in line with all other authorities. We have been the odd one out in not charging for these services.

“We have eight sheltered accommodation schemes, and seven don’t have charges for some of the services, which goes back to 2015. In 2018, we were in great danger of losing the sheltered housing scheme in Allendale.

“It was a great facility for people in the west and this council took Arnison House in. Arnison did charge for services so this paper is about bringing all eight in line. We can’t have seven not being charged.”

Charges will be implemented in a phased manner – from April 2024, 50 per cent will be payable by existing tenants, rising to 75 per cent from April 2025 and reaching 100 per cent in 2026.

Leader Scott Dickinson said: “This penny-pinching strategy will affect many people who are already finding life difficult with the cost-of-living crisis.

“Even the council’s phased introduction will see people on average being charged an extra £15 a week in the first year. This is the difference between being able to put food on the table or going without.

“The sheltered accommodation affected is in Blyth, Cramlington, New Delaval, Rothbury, and Amble."

Cllr Horncastle said: “The other extreme is taking the charge away, which would result in a £45,000 shortfall. By not charging, we are affecting the HRA (housing revenue account) which is mainly financed by revenue.

“All tenants are currently paying the costs, and some are not receiving those services. Like the rent increase in the budget, a large percentage are on housing benefit.

“Around 65 per cent will not see any difference because it is being paid by somebody else. This is the only fair way. This is about protecting our HRA. We will still be charging less than other housing providers.”

A report presented to members said the operation and management of the schemes had been subsidised by approximately £659,000 over a seven-year period from 2015-16 to 2021-22.

A spokesman for Northumberland Conservatives said: “Service charges are recognised as ‘industry standard’ and are applied, with few exceptions, by all social housing providers throughout the country.

“Service charges are legally required to reflect the cost of the services provided, and at the end of each year, a reconciliation will be undertaken to ensure that the charges are correct.

“When implemented, we believe the lowest rent and service charge for a NCC sheltered property would be £122.43 and the most expensive would be £141.47 which compares favourably with some schemes operated by other, major social housing providers in the county.”