HUNDREDS of elderly people could receive free home care if radical proposals are approved.

But Bury's social services bosses have lodged a protest, insisting that Government's plans will break the bank.

They claim that a new charging regime will cost them £400,000 a year, which would be impossible for the department to meet.

Our reporters have frequently revealed how bosses are already having to make drastic savings in an attempt to get the budget out of the red.

Ministers want to create a level playing field nationwide where charges will be worked out in the same way, wherever a person lives.

If Bury is forced to comply, it could mean that three-quarters of people who currently pay for non-residential social services such as home care will pay nothing.

Around 1,200 people in Bury use home care, although only one in nine gets a free service.

Department bosses say this will cost them up to £400,000 a year: the council currently raises £558,000 from such charges.

They also claim it will be more complex and time-consuming, and that the costs of administering the scheme may even exceed the income raised. In which case, they would have to "seriously consider" whether to charge at all.

The big proposed change is that councils must take into account a person's weekly expenditure, as well as income, in assessing how much they will have to pay.

These extra allowances will reduce most users' contributions to zero.

Another potential money-loser for the department concerns savings. Bury currently disregards the first £3,000 of a person's savings, but the proposals would increase this to £11,500.

It would cost the council up to £34 per week per person.

Ironically, the scenario is similar to the council's previous charging policy, which ran from 1995 to 1997. But councillors replaced this for two reasons: to bring in more money, and because it was considered too complicated by all concerned.

The plans have further ramifications for Bury's proposed new Community Advice Service.

The Government expects welfare rights to be given to care users in their homes, which will cost substantially more.

Bury has no staff devoted to welfare rights: in fact, it axed its welfare rights unit several years ago to save money.

Bury also disagrees with the Government that administration costs will go down. They say that having to assess every person's outgoings as well as income will inevitably slow down the process.

Council leader Derek Boden said: "The council agrees in principle with the majority of the plans, but some of the more important ones leave us with considerable problems.

"The Government is not indicating how the extra costs to the council are to be met. We are left with budgetary problems for which there is no immediate answer."

These financial fears have led bosses to increase charges by "merely" three per cent this coming year.

Members had considered imposing higher rises to help bring in more money.

But, apart from being controversial, the "comedown" next year would be worse if charges were indeed scrapped.

Meals on wheels and day care meals go up by 5p to £1.65. Transport to day centres is up 5p to £2.15 return and £1.10 single.

The charge for home care and learning disability support goes up by 20p to £6.40 an hour.

Bigger rises for day nursery care, which have already gone up in January, have been deferred until July.