Kingston Council has been accused of “attacking” vulnerable residents over plans to make elderly and disabled adults pay all their leftover funds towards social care.

The council is considering changing its adult social care contributions policy so that residents able to pay towards services contribute 100 per cent of their ‘available income’ – money left over after living costs are taken into account.

Critics have argued the changes will be the difference between residents being able to afford simple leisure activities like going to the cinema or not, with some adults potentially paying up to £60 more per week.

Lisa Ehlers, chief executive of the Kingston Centre for Independent Living, said: “It is attacking people who are already affected by other cuts, like cuts to their benefits.

“It is hitting the most vulnerable people in society. I know people who are so close to their budget that that £5 could be the difference between just going to the cinema on Friday.

“It is going to be harder for them to be part of the community.”

Read more: 'Worse than expected': Kingston faces huge Government cuts over next four years

About half of adult social care users are due to be affected if Kingston Council introduces the policy change.

Residents currently pay 75 per cent of their available income.

Cllr Cathy Roberts, cabinet member for adult social care, said: “Social care and support services provided by the council are not usually free. We are now in the position that we have to make some difficult decisions.

Kingston has faced an unprecedented drop in central government funding for the last six years, as well as an increasing population and demand for council services.”

The council has also proposed a second option, under which residents who already pay the full costs of their care would also pay “arrangement and management fees”.

These would include a one-off set up fee and weekly payments for the council to organise the service. A public consultation has been launched.

Anne Blanche, 77, of Portsmouth Road, is now an ambassador for Carers UK having cared for her parents for almost 30 years.

She said: “You are caring for people 24 hours, seven days a week. This is something that the carers themselves love to do, they do it voluntarily and they are concerned.

“The effects are horrendous – they are going to lose what little money they have.”

Kingston Council leader Kevin Davis said: “It’s very easy to get into hyperbolic language.

“People already pay 75 per cent. The principle is already there.

“It’s not something that is completely radical. If people don’t have the income to pay then they don’t have to – that applies to whatever service we provide.

“It’s a consultation and we will see what people come back with.”

Cllr Davis warned residents in December last year that Kingston was to become “one of London’s lowest funded boroughs” due to central Government cuts.

The Government then provided Kingston Council with a “transitional grant” to help with the estimated £20m that would need to be cut over the next four years.

Opposition leader Liz Green said: “They’ve already approved the budget and that tells me that they’re not interested. It’s just a statutory requirement.

“It does feel very wrong to go to 100 per cent, to be honest it feels wrong that people have to pay anything to do things that are normal to you and me.

“There are other ways to fund those savings.”

A decision will be made by the Adult and Children’s Committee once the consultation ends in September.