5% rise for meals on wheels and community alarm services – and a review to manage growing demand

The moves were approved by Fife Council cabinet committee councillors at a meeting on Thursday morning.

According to the council website, Meals on Wheels provides more than 800 “healthy meals and a regular friendly visit” per year on either a long term or short term basis.

Elderly people and adults with disability, chronic illness, mental health issues or dementia are all eligible to sign up to receive one, two or three course lunchtime meals each day for a fee.

However, thew costs went up from April 1.

“Currently, courses are charged on an individual basis to the customer with the HSCP subsidising the service,” a report from Audrey Valente, chief finance officer for Fife Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) stated.

“The proposal is to increase the flat-rate charge from £4.99 to £5.24 for a two-course meal. The proposed uplift is in line with the agreed Fife Council uplift rate of 5%. Some people opt for a three-course meal - we propose to increase the flat rate charge from £6.30 to £6.62.”

Fees for the community alarm scheme are also going up.

It’s another self-referral service that’s subsidised by the HSCP, and it helps the elderly and disabled remain in their homes. The system allows users to call for help using a wearable device in the event of a fall or emergency.

“The current charge in Fife is £2.94 per week. It is proposed for 2024-25 that an increase of £0.25 per week will be applied for a community alarm, increasing the charge to £3.09 per week. The increase would be a 5% uplift [to the current rate],” the committee report explained. This increase came into effect on April 1.

HSCP has also got permission to review the criteria for providing both services this year.

“Due to the increasing number of service users who have a Meals on Wheels service and/or a community alarm, the criteria and self referral process will be reviewed during 2024-25,” Ms Valente said. “Any proposed changes will be for new service users only. No one who currently has a Meals on Wheel service and/or a community alarm will have their service removed.”