A pressure group has been protesting against the new charges

Opposition politicians have expressed concern saying new charging structures and weekly charges are affecting the most vulnerable.

The alarms are fitted into the homes of elderly people so they can receive assistance if they have an accident.

Fife Council has said full assessments would be carried out before any services were withdrawn.

The new �1 weekly charge was introduced by Fife Council because of funding shortages in social services budgets.

'Tax on disability'

Pressure groups have been campaigning against the charge, along with changes to the home care pricing policy and the introduction of a delivery charge for collecting shopping.

They have repeatedly described the charge as a "tax on disability".

Social services leaders have insisted that nobody would be left in a vulnerable state and that people who can not afford to pay would be exempt.

But Cllr Mark Hood, Labour's social work spokesman on Fife Council, said the request for alarms to be removed showed that people were worried.

These alarms are a necessity for many and act as a safety net so that people know that if they fall or if they need help in an emergency someone will be there quickly Claire Baker MSP

He said: "My concern is that these people have previously been assessed by professional social workers as having a need for these services to ensure their safety.

"Now it looks as if they may lose it simply because they can't afford to pay."

The Community Alarm service is currently provided to 6,544 people in Fife.

Since the beginning or January, 400 people have requested that the service be removed.

Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Claire Baker said: "These are 400 of the most vulnerable people in Fife that obviously feel forced to return alarms to Fife Council.

"These alarms are a necessity for many and act as a safety net so that people know that if they fall or if they need help in an emergency someone will be there quickly, before the situation escalates."

Assessments pledge

Fife Council's leader, Peter Grant, has insisted the cancellations were a result of scaremongering from Labour politicians.

Kenny Leinster, the authority's social work senior manager, said: "We are contacting the 400 people who have said they no longer wish to have an alarm to arrange assessments to ensure they are not placing themselves at risk.

"Similarly, we are making sure those who no longer want the shopping delivery service have other arrangements in place.