AS a 79-year-old living in sheltered accommodation I was pleased to receive a letter from the DSS informing me of an increase in pension of £6 per week and 25p later in the year on my 80th birthday. I am happy with that as I am not a greedy person.

But letter No 2 changed all that. To cover the cost of Social Services and warden cover, I will be charged £3.60 per week from April.

Letter No 3 was to inform me that my rent would go up by £5.60 from April.

I am now awaiting Letter No 4 which will be about Council Tax which I believe will be approx £1 per week more. So subtracting all these increases from my pension rise, I am left with a deficit of £4.20. I am writing this letter to let people know that not all old people are on housing benefit because, with savings taken into account, we do not qualify. There are many like me who just pay up in later years. We have to go into a rest home and these people will still take our savings.

If I had broken even I could have lived with that. Last year wasn't as bad. I was about £1.50 a week worse off.

For people on low pay these increases are both obscene and immoral. But what is keeping me awake at night is waiting for a letter from the head of Social Services asking for a weekly rent for the use of my Zimmer frame and walking stick.

Name and address supplied.