A REBEL Liverpool charity has declared independence from the UK’s largest age charity with a scathing attack on their “bureaucratic” and “wasteful” operation.

Age Concern Liverpool and Sefton has vowed to remain locally-run and refused to join London-based Age UK, the charity formed by the merger of Age Concern and Help the Aged.

Dil Daly, chief executive of Age Concern Liverpool and Sefton, is one of four local charity bosses leading the rejection of the national organisation.

The rebellion has been joined by 15 local charities, including city groups in Manchester, Preston and Birmingham.

The charities will keep their ‘Age Concern’ names but say they were forced by Age UK to come up with a new logo, which will be launched at Liverpool Town Hall this afternoon.

Mr Daly will also launch a rival trading company called ‘advant-Age’, to raise charitable funds by providing services such as insurance and stairlifts. He will be a director, alongside three other Age Concern bosses.

Mr Daly said this move had enabled them to pick Liverpool-based firms to work with such as Parker Kelly as suppliers of equity release.

He said: “This is a new social enterprise in Liverpool and hopefully is going to create jobs in future.”

Age Concern Liverpool and Sefton was the first ever Age Concern when it was launched in 1928. Mr Daly said: “Age Concern Liverpool and Sefton was started by the city’s great pioneers in health and social care and we are following in their footsteps by forging our own destiny.”