Mrs Bull suffers from dementia

Bedfordshire County Council agrees that funding is the main obstacle to finding a suitable place for Connie Bull, and says it is the government's responsibility.

Mrs Bull, 90, has been in Bedford Hospital since October last year because what the family regards as a suitable care home would cost up to �150 more each week than social services will pay.

Her daughter, Jenny Wheeler, said: "We as a family are expected to pay that top-up, and actually, we can't afford to."

Fines proposed

Mrs Bull was offered a place in a residential home within the standard �410 weekly allowance, but it did not meet the family's approval.

From April this year, the government says it will fine local authorities �100 for each day a bed is blocked - occupied by someone not in need of hospital care - and the money will be returned to the NHS.

Bedfordshire county councillor Mike Gibson criticised the policy.

"We can be fined if we fail to give that back to the hospital - which is robbing Peter to pay Paul. It doesn't make sense," he said.

Bedford Hospital told BBC Look East that the situation there had improved by 75% in the past three years.