POOLE pensioners dependent on vital home care paid the third highest rates in the country last year, according to a community watchdog.

Data obtained by Which? uncovered a postcode lottery and highlighted a gulf between care charges in Borough of Poole and neighbouring Bournemouth for most of last year.

Up until December, when Borough of Poole restructured its care charges, an elderly resident in Poole who failed to meet the means testing for free or partial home help paid £19.70 an hour. The same resident could have lived one street away in Bournemouth and have paid just £13.95.

But since the Which? investigation was launched, Poole has lowered its care charges to £13 an hour.

Poole adult social care head David Vitty said: “The full contribution for home care in Poole is now £13 per hour and 43 per cent of people receiving council funded care services pay nothing towards the cost of their care. This now reflects the new cost the council is paying for these services following changes to contract arrangements.

“Since the figures quoted by Which? were provided, the council has reviewed its care charges and a new fairer contributions policy has been in place since December 2010.”

Meanwhile, Dorset County Council charges £15 an hour for personal home care.

The survey was compiled through 154 local authority responses to Freedom of Information requests.

Poole, Bournemouth and Purbeck Pensioner Association chairman Natalie Rose said: “The council has been targeting elderly people in need to raise money which they could better be raised in other ways.”

Until last month, only Cheshire East and Surrey pensioners paid higher council home care charges than those in Poole.

Which? chief executive Peter Vicary-Smith said: “Everyone should have comparable access to the care and support they need to remain independent and in their own home, regardless of where they live.”

Authorities across England and Wales categorise those in need of elderly home care as either, low, moderate, substantial or critical.

Pensioners with savings, excluding the value of their home, of less than £23,256, qualify for help with home care fees.