Up to 2,000 vulnerable people who were receiving their home care through Bexley Council are likely to have their help withdrawn.

The figure is revealed in a report from the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) on council adult care in England and Wales.

And Bexley, which has achieved the top ranking three-star status since 2002, was one of only six in the country to drop to two stars.

Bexley has brought in new, more stringent criteria for the borough’s elderly and disabled in a bid to restrict the number of residents qualifying for home care.

It has also revised its meals-on-wheels service, withdrawing the daily delivery of a hot meal and, instead, asking people to order their own bulk deliveries of frozen meals.

The council claims lack of Government cash is to blame.

Bexley is currently reassessing all those who receive help for basic tasks such as getting up and going to bed, washing and cooking meals.

But people whose needs are now judged to be “moderate” are having care withdrawn and told they must arrange and pay for their own help.

CSCI inspectors judged the delivery of personalised services for older people in the borough as “adequate”.

They had already warned the council, following their visit last year, that its plans to stop providing help for people with moderate needs would have “significant impact”.

And council staff and managers had been made aware the change of criteria would affect up to 2,000 people.

Wheelchair-bound Terry Johnson, 61, from Crayford has been forced to pay £127 to a private company after his care was withdrawn.

He thought he had arranged three days of care via the council’s contractor, Care Partners Trust, several weeks ago to provide 15 minutes’ help, three times a day to heat his meals so he can take his medication.

But when he checked two days before care was about to start, he was told no- one would be coming because he had to be reassessed first.

He called the council, who came the following day and assessed him as not eligible.

But Bexley says he was advised of the need for another assessment when he asked for help.

Councillors disputed the inspectors’ findings when they visited Bexley with their interim report earlier this year.

The then council leader, Ian Clement, said: “We will just have to agree to disagree.”

Following publication of the ratings, Labour group leader Councillor Chris Ball said: “Money is taking precedence over personal dignity.

“The Tories are cutting people adrift and blaming someone else.”

But cabinet member for social care Councillor Sharon Massey said: “We are in the process of transforming our services to ensure they place our service users and carers at the heart of what we do.

“This enables them to be more in control of the services and arrangements made available for them.”