ELDERLY people have had to leave their home after government red tape forced the owner of Ramsdean House near Petersfield to close its doors.

Devastated owner Pamela Trenchard blames increasing government bureaucracy and inadequate funding.

Mrs Trenchard criticised the "inappropriate" levels of funding for private care home residents which she claims has resulted in the home's closure. She said: "I have looked after hundreds of elderly people in the Petersfield area and this situation is sad. I am devastated by what has happened. It has been my life.

"I love the job and working with the elderly people at Ramsdean House. If this continues more and more people are going to be left at home, vulnerable."

Mrs Trenchard has been working at residential retirement homes for 21 years and opened Ramsdean in 1983.

Chairman of Age Concern Petersfield Elsa Bulmer said she was "very upset".

She said: "I have always found Ramsdean to be a well- run and pleasant place for people to stay. I am quite astonished by the news of its closure."

Around 40 staff worked at the home and the final three residents have now been reaccommodated.

Residents in private homes receive £1.39 per hour from Hampshire County Council which works out at £233 a week. Mrs Trenchard said this is why care homes are closing.

She said: "This money has to pay for wages, training, food and heating, electricity, laundry, maintenance and a host of other expenses.This leaves absolutely no money to pay for anything at weekends.

"The funds are also expected to cover insurance, registration fees, all medical supplies and special items at Christmas and for birthdays. This is on top of the cost of having to pay staff to provide 24-hour care.

Mrs Trenchard said the amount of funding per resident for essentials is "a joke".

She said: "I have seen many casualties like Ramsdean on the television and the reason why is the £1.39 per hour. And it is the elderly people that are going to suffer.

"About 800 homes closed across the country last year and this will continue until something is done. I want to know how this will affect the families of people who have been forced to leave their homes and how stressful the impact will be."

She added: "I would love someone to show me a hotel or boarding house that will accept £233 a week for someone to stay full board. This is a national scandal.

"We have always aimed to provide quality care for all our residents but how can you do this on the rates we are provided with? I could not go on subsidising my own home with my own money.

"I just want to make sure that the public know why these homes are closing. It is not because we want to."

She said that conditions were not the same for residents of local authority-owned sheltered housing. For example, a resident at Bulmer House in Petersfield could receive an extra £147 a week.

A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: "Our rates vary according to assessed needs.

"The money that we receive averages over £70 per week per client. We set a notional charge which applies generally."

She pointed out that the county council subsidises the majority of people in its care whether in county council care or in the private sector.