PENSIONERS in north Wiltshire face having to pay for an alarm service which has previously been provided free by the council.

The Lifeline alarm service was introduced in 1986. Alerters worn around the neck give the elderly speedy access to an emergency operator.

More than 600 people in sheltered housing use the service, but now they face having to pay £8.82 every quarter from next April, while those in their own home will pay £8.74.

New users will be charged the increased rental in full, with those already linked to the service facing a gradual increase over the next two years.

The decision to bring in charges was made at a meeting of North Wiltshire District Council's executive committee last month.

The council said the increase was needed because it had no extra money to extend the service.

Margaret Hughes, chairman of Age Concern and the Veterans' Association in Chippenham, said her members are furious at the increases.

"This is all wrong," said Mrs Hughes.

"There are so many elderly people living on their own who need to use these alarms and find them a great security.

"It's hard enough to make pensions go around and everyone has said this is disgraceful.

"Nobody wants to give up the alarms."

Mrs Hughes, 82, said she sees them as an essential security device for elderly people.

"I am in good health but if I needed it I would apply to use it."

Coun Maureen Lloyd, who also represents the Pensioners' Voice panel, said: "With little or no increase in pensions over the past year it is imprudent to introduce these increases now.

"I worry about what elderly people will give up to carry on using the alarms because nobody wants to stop using them."

She said she was not at the meeting when the decision was taken and would have opposed it.

"I am disappointed with my colleagues. They could have compromised," said Coun Lloyd.

"This is a brilliant device which has helped so many people, and everyone I have spoken to has said they will simply have to find the money to keep using it."

A district council spokesman said the council will carry out a full review of the service in consultation with users and related organisations.

The spokesman said it will continue to subsidise the service to some extent.

Users who experience difficulty in paying the increased charge can call the district council's housing and property services department on (01249) 706304.