New research published by the NACC for its National Community Meals Week, which is running from 10-14 November, shows that a third of councils no longer provide community meals – through meals on wheels services, luncheon clubs or day centres – to the elderly and vulnerable living independently in their own homes.
Not only that, but more than half of them expect further service reductions in the year ahead.
NACC national chairman Neel Radia told a Pop-Up luncheon club at the House of Commons yesterday hosted by Luton North MP Kelvin Hopkins, that he also wanted the Government to look at making community meals a statutory responsibility for councils to protect services for older people.
“The Community Meals Service is a crucial preventative service that enables older people to live in their own homes for longer, whilst maintaining their physical and emotional wellbeing and reducing pressure on the NHS.
“Non-statutory care services, such as Meals on Wheels and Luncheon clubs have been hit hard by cuts to adult social services as councils struggle to make savings.
“The abolition of community meals services is incredibly short-sighted and cuts a lifeline for many older people who can face social isolation and loneliness. A visit to a Luncheon Club or the delivery of a meal provides the regular friendly human contact that we all need, and the vital wellbeing and safety checks that the elderly require, particularly in the colder winter months.
“The government should look at making community meals a statutory responsibility for councils to help protect frontline services for vulnerable older people.”
The NACC – supported by MPs, local authorities, caterers and campaigners such as the National Pensioners Convention – is using this week to highlight the pressure on meal services and the devastating affect their removal could have on the quality of life of the tens of thousands relying on the vital lifeline that provides nutritious meals, regular social interaction and safety checks for those in need.
Meals-on-wheels services, luncheon clubs and subsidised meals for older people have been hit by the scale of cuts facing local government, the research finds.
A third of councils no longer provide a community meals service, although there is wide variation across the UK from only 25% of councils in the north east still providing a meals on wheels service to Northern Ireland with 100% coverage.
However, 51% of providers responding said they expect to see further service reductions in the year ahead.
The average price for a two-course lunchtime meal was £3.62, with the South West being the highest averaging £4.56 and Northern Ireland the lowest at £1.50.