A PENSIONER today criticised price hikes which have forced her to stop attending a day care centre as often as she used to.

A PENSIONER today criticised price hikes which have forced her to stop attending a day care centre as often as she used to.

Irene Abbott, 80, has been attending Age Concern's Foxhall Day Care Centre in Parliament Road for four years.

But in April the price will be increased by �3.35 - following a �3.95 price hike in January.

This takes the daily cost to just under �20 and means that Mrs Abbott - who lives on her weekly pension - will now only be able to go once a week instead of twice.

“I will not be able to afford it,” said the resident at Emily Bray House in Woodbridge Road.

“I think that some of the numbers have dropped already because the price is going up.

“It is very important because I would not know what to do otherwise. I really look forward to it.

“It is a day out and I have lots of friends there. I think lots of us are angry. It gives me a lot of pleasure. I would not have all my friends that I have got if I did not go. We have a lot of fun.”

Age Concern Suffolk said the price hikes were as a result of rising costs and diminishing income.

Daphne Savage, Chief Executive of Age Concern Suffolk, said: “No one could regret more than Age Concern the need for large increases in the cost of day care places.

“Day Centres are absolutely vital in the lives of many older people, in fact many people call them their 'lifeline'. Some people who attend either do not meet the criteria set by social services to be referred to day care by them, or they are financially assessed by social services as being able to fund their own care, so they have to meet the full cost themselves.

“However, our main aim is simply to keep our day centres open in the face of rising costs and rising demand set against diminishing income.”

Are you unhappy over day centre price hikes? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk