Three care homes which support more than a hundred vulnerable residents are set to close because of staffing problems and rising energy costs.

Bosses at Rapport Housing and Care blamed a staffing "crisis", rising energy costs and "chronic underfunding from the government" as the news was broke to distraught staff this morning.

In a statement issued by chief executive Leon Steer, it said that Dene Holm in Northfleet, Edward Moore House in Gravesend and Connors House in Canterbury would be shutting by mid-January because they were no longer viable.

It read: "The social care sector is currently under extreme pressure and amidst the greatest workforce crisis in history. Unfortunately, the staffing crisis, combined with chronic underfunding from the government, rising energy costs and essential forecasted property improvement works has left us in a position where operating these homes is no longer viable.

"Earlier this year, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) reported that more than 1,600 care home beds had been lost in just six months, as worsening staff shortages and the financial strain after two years of the Covid pandemic caused a net loss of 134 homes in England.

"In addition to that, a poll by the South East Social Care Alliance found that almost half (45%)of care providers in the region are considering exiting the sector because of underfunding for local authority/ NHS funded residents.

"The sector needs urgent reform and until action is taken, there will undoubtedly be many more care home closures across the UK.

"As we start the closure process, the wellbeing of our residents remains our priority, and we will be supporting our residents and their loved ones as they move into alternative accommodation."

Rapport has eight home across Kent which caters for dementia sufferers, palliative care, physical disability and short-term respite.

Carer Julia Minors, 56, was due to start work at Edward Moore House in Trinity Road today having spent five months getting the correct paperwork.

Instead she was ushered into a room crammed with other staff for an "out of the blue" announcement.

Miss Minors, who was made redundant from Age UK in May and was looking forward to starting her new job, said everyone was "distraught".

The mother-of-one, of Old Road East, Gravesend, said: "There were some that just walked out and others were crying.

"People are more upset about what is going to happen to the hundreds of people, many of them extremely vulnerable,who live in the homes.

"These people don't like being moved to new surroundings and they will suffer."

Rapport has homes at Rogers House in Wigmore, Edward Moore House in Gravesend, Dene Holm in Gravesend, Connord House in Canterbury, Barnes House in Tonbridge, Rosewll House in Tonbridge, Watling Court in Gravesend and Lawson House in Aylesford.

It was established 55 years ago and caters for people over the age of 55.