Residents of a sheltered housing scheme locked in a legal battle to keep their live-in warden hope to have their test case heard next month.

People living in Alexandra House in Upperton Road, Eastbourne, launched their High Court challenge against Circle 33 Housing Trust after their warden was replaced by “floating” staff last November.

Solicitor Yvonne Hossack is arguing that residents who had moved into the accommodation with a live-in warden have a legitimate expectation the service would continue.

She said: “We are hoping to establish that this is a matter of public law because it is about the provision of care to vulnerable people.”

The case of a disappearing live-in warden mirrors many others in the county and reflects a national trend of cost-cutting from housing associations and councils.

A report by Help the Aged, entitled Nobody’s Listening, states that 31% of sheltered housing schemes will lose their on-site warden over the next three years.

The charity has said the wardens will be replaced with a “floating service” of support staff assigned to cover several schemes.

Joe Oldman, from Help the Aged, said: “Older people are having services they rely on taken away without warning or consultation. Many who moved into sheltered accommodation are left stunned that such far-reaching changes can be made to their services without their consent.

“We have an ageing population which will put increasing pressure on our care services.

Modern sheltered housing should have a key role to play in keeping people independent for longer but our research shows that traditional sheltered housing is disappearing without a debate on what is best for older people.”

Last year, Adur District Council restructured its sheltered housing scheme so that the wardens’ jobs became nonresidential.

No one from Circle 33 Housing Trust was available to comment.