A significant increase in claims about the abuse of elderly vulnerable people could represent the tip of an iceberg, county councillors have been told.

A report by the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board - made up of representatives from social care, the police and other agencies - says there were significantly more concerns raised about abuse in 2015-16 than the previous year.

It says that in Kent, 3,906 safeguarding enquiries were registered in 2015-16 compared to 3,273 in 2014–2015 - an increase of close to 20%.

Of these, 41% - 1,384 - were substantiated and 4.3% - 146 - partly substantiated and 1,225 - 31% - not substantiated.

In Medway there was a 9.8% increase, from 244 safeguarding enquiries in 2014-2015 to 268 safeguarding enquiries in 2015–2016.

It drew a warning from the safeguarding board chairman Deborah Stuart-Angus there could be more concerns about abuse that were not being referred to agencies.

Asked if the figures were the tip of an iceberg, she said: “We have seen a 20% increase and I strongly suspect that will increase.

"I don’t think it will increase massively. The care service is under enormous pressure...and yes, it is an iceberg and yes, it is the tip.”

But she added this year’s figures could be “highly inflated” because of new reporting obligations placed on the council.

Cllr Graham Gibbens, KCC cabinet member for adult care, said he wanted people to know they could raise concerns about abuse.

“I cannot stress enough how over the last eight years I have taken seriously the risk [of abuse]..”

“I am delighted actually that the number of people is increasing - what it means is that we are getting the message out there.

"If people have a concern or an issue, we want to know about it so we can do something about it. Okay, the figures may not look good but it means we know what the issues are.”

Deborah Stuart-Angus told a full council meeting: “The reason deemed for the massive increase from what we have seen is largely as a result of the implementation of the 2014 Care Act and the wider level of the statutory obligation that has been put on us all.

“The majority of enquiries received at 41% were largely between the 18 to 64-year-old age group.

"The highest proportion of alleged victims that we have seen in the county have been women.

"The most prevalent type of abuse in Kent is physical abuse and this has not changed over the last four years.”

There had been a small rise in neglect but a decline in so-called financial abuse, according to the report.