THOUSANDS of abuse and neglect reports were received by councils across the county last year.

Some 12,575 concerns of abuse were raised about adults with care and support needs in Sussex in the year to March.

Neglect and "omission of care" were the most frequently mentioned reasons.

Age UK said the "distressing" figures are “intolerable” and show that some older people in care are not being treated with respect or protected from abuse and neglect.

Brighton and Hove City Council received 2,085 complaints, while 5,835 were raised with East Sussex County Council and 4,655 with West Sussex County Council.

A spokeswoman for East Sussex Councy Council said: “Ensuring adults with care and support needs are safe and free from abuse is of paramount importance.

“We make it as easy as possible for people to report any concerns with a seven day a week helpline and an out of hours service, with every report being thoroughly investigated.

“The national increase, numbers and trends are also indicative of the pandemic and associated lockdowns. Safeguarding is every agency’s responsibility, and we encourage anyone with concerns about the safety of adults with care and support needs to approach us.”

The county council recorded 895 complaints more than in the previous period.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “We always investigate such concerns in accordance with our legal duties.

“Whenever someone with care and support needs has experienced or is at risk of abuse or neglect – and is unable to protect themselves – we work with them or their representative to address the issue and help them to reduce the risk as much as possible.”

The city council received 2,055 fewer reports this period than the previous one.

West Sussex County Council had 70 fewer reports than the previous period.

It said: “As the lead organisation for safeguarding adults in West Sussex, our priority is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people living and working in the county.

“We are an active member of the West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) which oversees safeguarding adults for people with care and support needs who may be experiencing, or who are at risk of, abuse or neglect.

“The board works collaboratively to prevent abuse and neglect where possible. We investigate all appropriate safeguarding concerns reported to us, working alongside multiagency partners including health and the police where appropriate.

Nationwide, the most common type of risk in Section 42 enquiries – which typically involve people aged 85 and over – was also neglect and acts of omission of care, which accounted for 31 per cent of risks.

The person's own home was the most common location of the risk – in just under half of all enquiries.