MORE care homes in Bolton could close following the latest council announcement on fees for residents.

Owners have warned that an increase in fees paid to them by the council is not enough to stop more homes closing.

Seven homes in Bolton have closed during the past 18 months, forcing dozens of elderly people to seek new accommodation.

Payments will go up from £301 a week to £316 for single rooms and from £293 to £301 for double rooms from April.

In October, single rooms will go up to £330 but there will be no further increase for double rooms until next year.

Homes will keep their added bonus of £5, if the room is en-suite.

Based on a national rate, called the Rowntree model, Bolton home owners believe they should be paid £330 a week for double rooms.

Bolton Council no longer runs care homes for the elderly, but pays an amount for residents who satisfy certain social services criteria.

Ann Collins, Chairman of the Bolton Association of Residential Care Homes, said: "We still believe that more homes will close in Bolton over the next 12 months, though we will try to make elderly people as comfortable as possible.

"This is not about making vast profits, is about trying to give our residents the stability that they are entitled to without the fear of having to move several times during they twilight years. We are also attempting to pay our very dedicated staff more that the minimum wage and give them a wage that is comparative to that paid to local authority care staff.

"We have tentatively agreed to this fee increase and look forward to working with the local authority in the future."

An increase for an annual home registration with the Commission for Social Care is going up from £1,584 to £1,901.

Home owners also add that the minimum wage is to go up from £4.85 an hour to £5.30 an hour from October.

A Bolton Council spokes-man said: "We believe the proposed fee levels are more than reasonable, when considered against the overall financial pressures of the department.