A NORTH-EAST council ranks among the bottom 30 authorities in the country when it comes to helping old people with provision at home, according to figures published today.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has come 124th in a national league of 150 local authorities providing home care services for the over-65s.

In the list, by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, it ranked bottom of the 12 North-East councils in the survey.

Between 2002 and 2003, 68 of every 1,000 of Redcar and Cleveland's over-65s were given practical help to live independently at home, such as health care visits and meals on wheels, according to the study.

South Tyneside Borough Council topped the North-East list, giving practical help to 162 over-65s in every 1,000.

The society's chief executive, Phil Gray, said: "There are still too many people being pushed into highly expensive care settings when most would prefer to continue living in their own home. We are asking why this is the case."

Councillor Valerie Halton, Redcar and Cleveland's cabinet member for health and social services, said: "It is an unfair table which looks at one indicator in isolation.

"We have budgeted an extra £1m in services for older people in the current financial year and we are making sweeping changes in our provision."