Age Concern Leicester Shire & Rutland is still in the dark about whether it is eligible to claim compensation from the government after two of its purpose-built ambulances were petrol-bombed in the August riots.

The charity’s transport manager Adrian Wilkinson told civilsociety.co.uk this week that it will cost around £45,000 to replace the ambulance that was destroyed but the insurance company will only pay out on the market value, which he reckons will be less than £5,000 as the vehicle was over eight years old.

At first the charity was given to believe that it would be able to claim the replacement cost from one of the government schemes set up to compensate victims of the riots.  But then it was advised these schemes will only apply to damages that are not already covered by insurance.

“So we still don’t know where we are at,” said Wilkinson.

The charity’s local Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth has taken up the cause, and challenged civil society minister Nick Hurd about it in Parliament last week.

Ashworth said: “Despite what the Prime Minister indicated to me in his statement of 11 August, Age Concern is not eligible for the compensation schemes.  Will the minister look urgently at setting up a compensation scheme for charities so that Age Concern in my constituency can replace its ambulance bus as quickly as possible?”

Nick Hurd responded: “My understanding is that under these circumstances, damages are recoverable from the high street support scheme.  I have been informed that officials have sent that information through.”

He added he would be happy to meet Ashworth and representatives of the charity “if there are continued problems with this issue”.

But today a spokesman for Hurd’s office referred enquiries to DGLG, who are administering the High Street Support scheme along with BIS.  DCLG was looking into the issue today.

Wilkinson added that the local council has been “very supportive”, lending the charity one of its minibuses in the meantime. And a public appeal for funds has had a reasonable response, but falls well short of the £45,000 needed.

He said the charity’s director would revive the issue when he returns from holiday, “but whether it will work in our favour or not remains to be seen”.