Hundreds of care workers who look after people in their own homes have been sent forms offering voluntary redundancy.

Letters and forms have been sent to the 290 staff who work for Brighton and Hove City Council's home care service department by Ian Long, assistant director of adult services.

Mr Long said the council wanted to cut jobs so it could contract out to private companies at a lower cost and save social services more than £1 million over three years.

Contracting out was calculated to be the best option after the council reviewed services as part of the Government's Best Value initiative.

Home helpers, as they used to be called, help elderly or disabled people to live independently in their own homes.

The council decided the best route for the service would be to retain a smaller number of staff who would concentrate on short-term rehabilitation work and complex cases. Private companies would deal with the day-to-day home-help work.

It was hoped the number of staff in the department would be reduced through natural turnover but fewer people than expected have moved to other jobs in recent years.

Now the council has asked people if they are interested in taking voluntary redundancy.

Mr Long said some staff had indicated they would rather take redundancy than be part of a new restructured service. The forms were being sent out to test the water.

The council has reassured employees there will not be any compulsory redundancies. Mr Long said: "We have made a commitment to guarantee employment to all staff."

A spokesman for Age Concern in Brighton said: "This is an extension of what already happens. There won't be any interruption of services, it's just that services will be contracted out to the independent sector."