An article written by the Daily Echo has revealed that over a 1,000 elderly and disabled residents in Southampton, face the loss of their personal home carers’ in a bid to cut costs.

The council wants to take away the choice of care from elderly residents and those with disabilities, by allocating them to 1 of 5 companies depending on where they live.

Council figures obtained by Daily Echo reveal as many as 1,200 residents will face the unpleasant situation of unfamiliar new carers coming into their lives.

Brian Gouldson, who has Parkinson’s disease, receives daily home care along with his wife and mother.

He said: ‘Some people have had the same carers for years. It’s a very personal issue: cleaning, showering and undressing.’

‘You don’t want just anyone doing it. You build up a rapport and need to feel comfortable with your carer.’

A part-time carer said her colleagues were concerned at being offered less hours of work and said none had been approached about transferring jobs.

The new set up will separate the city in to into seven zones meaning carers who had rounds that took them across the city, would be unable to keep all their clients even if they transfer jobs.

The council said it was ‘unable’ to say how much money it would save from the new contracts.