Blackburn and Darwen meals on wheels users face £2 price rise

12:29pm Tuesday 12th February 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Dan Clough, Reporter

Blackburn and Darwen meals on wheels users face £2 price rise Blackburn and Darwen meals on wheels users face £2 price rise

USERS of a meals on wheels service in Blackburn and Darwen face a price hike of almost £2 per meal as a council subsidy comes to an end.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has a contract with Blackpool-based ICare to provide the service in the borough.

The council pays £1.90 towards the £4.80 price of a two-course meal, but the contract will not be renewed when it ends on March 31.

Those wishing to continue buying meals from ICare will have to pay the full price of £4.80.

But people who do not wish to pay the full price have been given a range of options by the council, which has linked up with Blackburn charity Care Network.

A spokesman for ICare said: “We will be charging no more than the price previously charged with the subsidy.

“At this amount, including overheads and staffing, we will be making minimal profit as a business.

“We want to provide continuity for those who wish to receive the hot meal, and we appreciate these are difficult times all round for everyone.”

Coun Mohammed Khan, executive member for health and social care, said: “Meals on wheels is an important service, so I am pleased we have been able to work with Care Network, who will provide residents with a range of options to make sure they can continue to receive nutr-itious food in a manner that fits their needs.

“We are committed to giving people more choice, and our work with the Care Net-work fits in with that commitment.

“We are in extremely challenging times financially, so we have to find ways of working innovatively to ensure residents’ needs are being met within the funding we have available.”

Options open to people who wish to stop using the service provided by ICare include:

  • Frozen meal delivery service, with prices ranging from £2.30 to £5.75, plus delivery charge
  • Grocery delivery service for those who wish to prepare their own meals
  • Meal preparation service, where somebody will come and cook at the user’s home
  • Assisted shopping, where people are taken to the supermarket to choose what they want People wishing to access any of those services can call Care Network on 01254 507255.

Comments (5)

12:48pm Tue 12 Feb 13

norah bhatty says...

I hope the people who rely on the 'Meals on Wheels' service continue to get their meals at no extra cost. I can appreciate that the companies who provide this service cannot be expected to lose money, but it is a poor situation for all involved. I assume, that the majority of people who order the 'Meals on Wheels' food are more likely to be elderly or disabled, and we should do everything possible to protect them.

Yet again, because of all the cutbacks etc, just when you think there is nothing more they could target, along comes this story.

Just don't know what this country is coming to. GREAT Britain - now someone is having a laugh (at the expense of others.)
I hope the people who rely on the 'Meals on Wheels' service continue to get their meals at no extra cost. I can appreciate that the companies who provide this service cannot be expected to lose money, but it is a poor situation for all involved. I assume, that the majority of people who order the 'Meals on Wheels' food are more likely to be elderly or disabled, and we should do everything possible to protect them. Yet again, because of all the cutbacks etc, just when you think there is nothing more they could target, along comes this story. Just don't know what this country is coming to. GREAT Britain - now someone is having a laugh (at the expense of others.) norah bhatty

2:08pm Tue 12 Feb 13

Major Tom says...

Even though I agree with this, I also want to see a stop to gold plated pension guarantee schemes. That's where the real cuts need to be made and not just at a council level but at the full public sector.
Even though I agree with this, I also want to see a stop to gold plated pension guarantee schemes. That's where the real cuts need to be made and not just at a council level but at the full public sector. Major Tom

3:29pm Tue 12 Feb 13

Mothernature says...

Are those prices good value for money?
Are those prices good value for money? Mothernature

10:14pm Tue 12 Feb 13

2 for 5p says...

QUOTE:

A spokesman for ICare said: “We will be charging no more than the price previously charged with the subsidy.
“At this amount, including overheads and staffing, we will be making minimal profit as a business.

oh what kind of fool do you take us for £4.80 you could probobly get a take-away to deliver food for only 20p more. Somebodys on the make
and before some idiot says
'oh but its nutricious'
ive seen these meals and they are not.
QUOTE: A spokesman for ICare said: “We will be charging no more than the price previously charged with the subsidy. “At this amount, including overheads and staffing, we will be making minimal profit as a business. oh what kind of fool do you take us for £4.80 you could probobly get a take-away to deliver food for only 20p more. Somebodys on the make and before some idiot says 'oh but its nutricious' ive seen these meals and they are not. 2 for 5p

6:48pm Wed 13 Feb 13

ste.g says...

yet we can squander millions in foreign aid
yet we can squander millions in foreign aid ste.g

Comments are closed on this article.

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