HIV sufferers are facing cuts to vital support as thousands of pounds of council funding hangs in the balance.

East Sussex County Council is targeting HIV support services as it makes cuts to the adult social care budget.

The Terrence Higgins Trust provides these services and is now facing the prospect of losing its entire budget of £47,900.

Adam Wilkinson, operations director at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “We’ve been delivering HIV services in East Sussex for almost 20 years and know they are a lifeline for many.

“That’s why we are deeply concerned about the potential impact of the proposed cuts, which would leave local people living with HIV without the emotional and practical support they need to live well.”

Mr Wilkinson encouraged anyone who believes in the value of these services to respond to the consultation, saying it was vital that the views of people living with and affected by HIV were listened to.

The HIV support service is designed to support and enable adults with HIV to improve their self-management skills and live more independently in their chosen community.

This includes a range of support including an assessment of needs to newly diagnosed people as well as help to understand the treatment options and the importance of taking medicines as they are prescribed.

Bill Puddicombe, chief executive of The Sussex Beacon, which provides specialist care and support for people living with HIV, said: “This is a national pattern that we are seeing, all kinds of health and social services are being cut with quite deep cuts in funding for people living with HIV.

“We have some sessions that people living outside of Brighton and Hove can access and we would expect to see an increased reliance on those now.”

A spokesman for East Sussex Couonty Council said: “In addition to the HIV support service, we commission an HIV prevention service, the contract for which ends in September 2018. “Our intention is that support services and prevention services be commissioned from one provider in future.

“At this point it is impossible to say just how much money will be available to commision the combined services.”

The council said no decision had yet been made on the future of this funding and have encouraged people to have their say at https://consultation.eastsussex.gov.uk.

The consultation process will close on Monday.