Over the past few years, the nature of social care has been changing in the way services are provided and in its very aims, but I believe this will have unforeseen consequences. Take benefits and pensions.

My local newspapers and pensioners groups are outraged by the proposed closures of some of the sub-post offices. This goes alongside the Benefits Agency's drive to encourage people to take up their benefits through direct payments into their bank accounts and the virtual disappearance of rural bus services.

The vocal pensioners argue that the sub-post offices are at the heart of their communities: a meeting point on pension day at a local shop (increasingly rare in rural areas). As I also have mobility problems, I can appreciate that it takes much effort to go out and mix with the rest of my community, without a specific reason, like collecting one's pension. Paying pensions electronically is more cost-effective and probably safer (there is less likelihood of being mugged, for example).

However, with the decline in statutory day-care provision and the rise in services focused on keeping people living in their own homes, it's clear that three apparently unrelated changes may combine to lead to greater social isolation for large numbers of the ageing population.

In the same way, there are large numbers of disabled adults living in rural areas who have relied on daycare provision (and the subsidised transport that goes with it) for most of their social lives. Many have been using the same day centres for decades: their social circles are their fellow day centre users. Although I believe that benefits provision and social care should be progressive, encouraging people to lead purposeful (and hopefully, economically independent) lives, this trend will destroy social networks built over many years.

Unless as much effort goes into helping people to develop the skills to maintain these social circles, or develop the social skills and confidence to make new ones, this will be another group that will become more isolated.

Now what was the most recent definition of social exclusion?