Tories hike Meals on Wheels charges by inflation-busting 37%
4th March 2011
The true scale of the hike in Meals on Wheels charges for Southampton’s most vulnerable pensioners has been revealed today.
Meals on Wheels charges will increase by an inflation-busting 37% as a result of the budget pushed through by Southampton’s Tory-run Council. For pensioners most dependent on Meals on Wheels, this will mean an annual increase of £478.15 in their payments.
The information was revealed after a written request for the information from Dr Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton Test.
In last month’s City Council budget, the ruling Conservative Council slashed support for Southampton’s Meals on Wheels service. But their official budget documents published by the Council contained no specifics in what the cut in funding would mean for ordinary pensioners.
Dr Whitehead said: “This new information blows apart Tory claims that they have not increased charges on the poorest. I struggle to think of a single other group of people in Southampton who are being asked to shoulder such a massive hike in charges for such a vital service.”
“I cannot see how the Conservatives can justify a £1 million council tax discount to some of our better off residents when that discount is now effectively being funded by this price hike on our poorest pensioners. The Tories need to come to their senses and recognise that their first duty is to protect vulnerable people in this city, not their own pet political projects.”
The full details of the Council’s reply to Dr Whitehead’s inquiry on Meals on Wheels charges is reproduced below:
Meals on Wheels charges increase
A survey was sent to users of meals on wheels in advance of the proposed price increases and the majority of users indicated they would still use the service with the price increase suggested.The service will also undergo changes to improve the efficiency and make savings to the infrastructure to reduce the amount that the meals need to increase to achieve the total saving required.
There are 299 people who use the meals delivery service on a regular basis.
The charge will be increased by £1.31 per full meal (from £3.47 to £4.78). This compares favourably with independent hot meal deliveries in the local area where the charge is between £5 and £5.50.
The increase for a main meal only is £1.08 from £2.86 to £3.94 and for a dessert the increase will be 23p from 61p to 84p.
If someone has a full meal for seven days a week, every week of the year their yearly increase will amount to £478.15, six days a week, every week the increase will be £409.84, five days a week, every week the increase will be £341.54, four days a week, every week the increase will be £273.22, three days a week, every week the increase will be £204.92, two days a week, every week the increase will be £136.61 and one day a week, every week the increase will be £68.31.
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