Northamptonshire loses hundreds of care home beds leaving elderly without access to proper help

Charity Age UK has warned of emerging “care deserts” in parts of the country, leaving older people without access to proper care.

Analysis of Care Quality Commission data shows that Northamptonshire has lost 345 care home beds since 2014.

There are now 5,020 in the area - a fall of 6% .

Over the same period, the number of people aged 75 and older in Northamptonshire has increased by 15%, from 51,900 in 2014, to an estimated 59,500 this year.

Retirement mortgage company Responsible Life, which produced the research, said the results reveal “a postcode lottery unfolding”.