Thousands rally round one of Britain's oldest PoWs who faces being forced into a care home

THOUSANDS of supporters have rallied around one of Britain's oldest surviving prisoners of war who faces being forced into a care home against his will.

Robbie ClarkJONATHAN BUCKMASTER

More than 170,000 people have signed a petition for Robbie Clark

The Daily Express highlighted how Brent Council in north London was refusing to pay for a home help for Robbie Clark, 96, because it is cheaper to put him into a care home.

Robbie has already spent more than £50,000 of his life savings to pay for 24-hour care at his home in Burnt Oak, north London – and had only weeks left at home as his money ran out.

However, more than 170,000 people have signed an online petition demanding that Brent Council reverse its decision and pay for the care the war hero needs.

And generous supporters including Daily Express readers have rallied round to donate more than £15,000 through fundraising websites to help Robbie, who was one of the British soldiers who survived Hitler's 1,000-mile death march across Europe in 1945.

robbie clark as a prisoner of warSKY • JONATHAN BUCKMASTER

Mr Clark, second from left in front row, as a prisoner of war in Italy

Help 4 Heroes has also offered a month Quick Reaction payment to help Robbie.

Son Mike said: “The level of public support is overwhelming. I think Robbie's case is a symbol for the poor state of elderly care in this country and others who are or will be in the same situation.

“Brent Council particularly is not interested in individual choice only 'value for money'.

“It has taken over our life at the moment! Robbie is still very anxious not sleeping.

Robbie's long term future is not yet secure

Mike Clark

“The £15,000 is less than a year of care for Robbie and the emergency grant from Help For Heroes will give him another month.

“Robbie's long term future is not yet secure. The funding sites are probably what will help as the Council is immovable.

“The message is that the public are stepping in to help and not the local Brent Council who are paid to help their residents.

“The interest in Robbie has been amazing though Brent are immovable despite the strength of public opinion.”

Robbie’s family said he may have to sell his home and they fear being in a care home would kill him.

Mr Clark, a father of two with four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, said: "I have been in my own place all my life.

"If I lived in a care home I would lose a lot of my freedom. It would remind me of being a prisoner of war."

robbie clark with a copy of Mein KampfSKY • JONATHAN BUCKMASTER

Mr Clark with his translated copy of Mein Kampf

Mike, 58, has been in a two-year battle with Brent Council over funding his father's care since the pensioner lost the use of his legs after a heart operation in 2012.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director of Age UK said: "Sometimes moving an older person to a care home will not meet all their needs and is not the right thing to do, especially if there are strong reasons why they want to remain close to family, friends or community.

“In such cases councils should be prepared to be flexible and think again.”

Dr Ros Altmann, who has campaigned for pensioners’ rights, said: “I have so much sympathy with Robbie and having spent tens of thousands of pounds of his own money on his care, which has kept him alive this long, it seems cruel to insist he must move into a care home.

“He has clearly tried everything he can possibly do to stay in his own home and the attitude of the council must feel to him as if he is being sentenced to life in a place he does not want to be.

“To him it may feel like a prison sentence but I do understand that the council cannot support everyone who needs 24/7 care.

“I would have thought, however, given the extenuating circumstances of Robbie’s case, that a more sympathetic view might be taken, especially if there is money left over in the Budget.  These decisions are never easy, and it really does highlight the huge crisis in our social care system."

robbie clarkJONATHAN BUCKMASTER

Mr Clark has already spent more than £50,000 on 24-hour care at his north London home

A 24-hour carer and additional hours care cover cost around £1,000 a week, of which Brent at present only contributes around £350.

Mr Clark, a gunner serving in the Royal Artillery as part of the 4th Durham Survey Regiment, was one of thousands of British prisoners who was marched across eastern Europe in the winter of 1945 – one of the coldest on record – as Hitler pulled back as the Nazis faced defeat in WWII.

Phil Porter, Strategic Director of Adult Social Care at Brent Council, said: “Mr Clark owns his home, so there is absolutely no question of Brent Council evicting him despite what has been suggested in this petition.“We recognise Mr Clark’s contribution to this country and sincerely empathise with the situation that he and other older people like him across the UK are in. However,
the problem arises as the care package that Mr Clark is choosing is not affordable to council taxpayers given the constraints of local government funding and the need to be consistent for the 2,900 people we support.“The council had assessed Mr Clark’s social care needs, and believe they can be met for £451 per week or £23,000 a year. National legislation means that anyone eligible
for social care is subject to a financial assessment, which is designed to ensure that people who cannot afford to pay, do not pay.

"Both of these assessments are subject to review as an individual’s social care needs and financial position change.

“We have been working very closely with Mr Clark and his family for a number of years now, and will continue to do so. We want to find a solution which meets his eligible
social care needs, provides value for money for the taxpayer, but also reflects the choices he has made and the additional cost this creates."For example, we have offered support and advice to help him to buy the additional care and support he wants at a competitive price, we are supporting an application for health funding to meet his health needs, and  we have offered a deferred payment which means he doesn’t need to sell his house to pay for his care.  

“There is a safety net for Mr Clark, and other people in similar situations, but if anyone chooses care over and above what we are able to offer, then they need to contribute towards that additional cost from their own resources. 

"The reality is that councils need to act within the constraints of national funding which requires us to meet people’s social care needs in a way that also offers value for money for the taxpayer.”

The council added that if it paid for Mr Clark's care it would be something that would have to apply to all of Brent’s 2,900 social care recipients which would end up bankrupting the council.

• To donate please go to justgiving.com/HelpRobbieClark or to sign the petition visit you.38degrees.org.uk

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