Government targets smashed as councils beat bed-blocking fines

The government figures emerged as a tough new fines regime began to tackle the issue.

They showed that councils have almost halved bed-blocking since 2001/2, when there were 5800 cases. There were fewer than 3000 cases on 5 January, when the new fines system began, even though councils have until 2005 to meet the government's 2006 target of 2500 bed-blocking cases.

But Jeni Bremner, senior programme manager at the Local Government Association, said: "It's unlikely that we will get down to zero because of people needing complex care packages or alterations to their homes."

Under the new fines regime, social services departments will be penalised if people stay in hospital for non-medical reasons, for example if no suitable housing is available to them. For London councils, the fine will be £120; for everyone else, it will be £100.

The government gave councils £50m in October – the predicted cost of fines – to invest in services to reduce the problem.

They will get two further pots of £100m in 2004/5 and 2005/6.

Three weeks into the regime, no council has yet been fined.

Though the targets have been exceeded, UK social services still oppose the fines. Andrew Cozens, president of the Association of Directors of Social Services, said: "The real issue is about transfer within the NHS, unexpected admissions and readmissions because discharges broke down.

"We think the fines are a distraction from what is an issue [with] the whole system. "

The group opposes the use of bed-blocking fines because they take money out of services for elderly people, cash which will not be replaced.