A care home for people with special needs could close its doors due to financial concerns.

Walberton care home, which is run by charity Hft, said its finances over the last year were more than a million pounds under what they expected.

The charity has had some residents living on its site for more than 50 years, according to one staff member.

But it has now decided to serve three months’ notice on some of its services.

One staff member who works on the site near Chichester said staff are just worried for families having to relocate residents.

The Argus: The reception area of Hft WalbertonThe reception area of Hft Walberton (Image: Google Maps)

The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “I am devastated for the residents. It is hard enough if you have a disability but when you have been in a place for so many years it is even worse to have to leave.

“Residents are like family to us, some people have been there for 50 years. The company has tried everything to stop it closing.

“I will find a job but people have just left a job to come there and have got this news. Everyone’s main concern is these residents.”

Hft has not confirmed which services are being axed and which will remain.

Peter Snelling, chief care and support officer at Hft, said the “level of financial challenge” puts the charity’s ability to support adults to “live their best life” in jeopardy.

He said: “Sadly, the ongoing financial challenges, including fee income, at Walberton means we will continue to make a significant loss at the service. Over the last year, we have incurred a shortfall in funds in excess of one million pounds at Walberton. There is no realistic prospect that this will improve in the future.

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“We have therefore taken the very difficult decision to serve three months’ contractual notice on some of our services at Walberton. We have not taken this decision lightly; it is very much a decision of last resort, as we have exhausted all other options to ensure the sustainability of the service.”

“West Sussex County Council (WSCC) has begun the process of working with the people we support and their families to identify new care and support providers, and a new location. We understand this is a very unsettling time for the people we support at Walberton, their families and our colleagues.

“We will continue to do everything we can to support them and to work with WSCC through this process to ensure that moving on from Walberton is as smooth a process as possible.” 

WSCC said it is working with families to find alternative arrangements for those affected.

A spokesman said: “West Sussex County Council, like many local authorities across the whole of England, is facing significant challenges to meet the increased demand for adult social care.

“The council has already allocated an additional £28.4m to the adult social care budget for 2023/24, which is an increase of 13 per cent on the previous year. On average this has enabled a fee increase of 9 per cent to be agreed for adult social care providers. This is in addition to the average uplift of 8 per cent that was paid in 2022/23.

“We acknowledge the increasing pressures on care providers, such as cost of living. However, the council also has a duty to ensure value for money from public funds and to work with the care market to support people to live as independently as possible within the community in line with our adult social care strategy.”