Parents of people with learning disabilities in Oxfordshire say social services plans to recover unpaid day centre fees by docking their benefit are "deplorable".

They want more consultation over charges being levied for day centre services and believe their childrens' benefits should be left alone.

Social services scrapped free access to its 20 day centres four-and-a-half years ago and has been charging about 350 service users up to £22.40 per week.

Some families refused to pay and have accrued thousands of pounds in debt to the county council.

Last month, the council's executive asked the Benefits Agency to dock the benefits of people with learning disabilities.

The council said it had to balance its books and be fair to the 70 per cent of parent carers who had paid.

The Government has suggested £18.41 per week was appropriate.

John Hutchison, 65, the chairman of South West Oxfordshire Mencap Society, whose son, Darryl, 33, attends the Abbey Day Centre, in Abingdon, said: "I think the service should be free, but realistically, we recognise that the council has been acting legally.

"However, it must be a fair and equitable charge. It's deplorable that the council is taking money from the Benefits Agency."

Rose Kerwin, 60, whose daughter Lynn, 30, owes about £2,000 for using Bicester Outreach, called the policy "disgusting".

She said: "That money is for my daughter, not for them to interfere with."

Social services' head of service for disabilities, Alan Sinclair, said if the authority failed to recover the money, it we would have to look to reduce services elsewhere.

He said no refunds would be paid.