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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of patients in England in the last five years who have not received a meals on wheels service after leaving hospital, after they have been assessed as needing this service upon...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of patients in England in the last five years who have not received a meals on wheels service after leaving hospital, after they have been assessed as needing this service upon...
The Department does not centrally collect this data.
The Hospital discharge and community support guidance sets out that where a person may require support following discharge, National Health Service trusts should work with local authorities and partners to identify and plan for their ongoing care and support needs. The Hospital discharge and community support guidance is available at the following link:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to question UIN 9801, answered in June 2026, what proportion of the £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028-29 will be allocated to the provision of meals on wheels services.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to question UIN 9801, answered in June 2026, what proportion of the £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028-29 will be allocated to the provision of meals on wheels services.
The Government is making over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26, to support the sector in making improvements. This includes additional grant funding, growth in other sources of income available to support adult social care, and an increase to the National Health Service contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund, in line with the Department’s Spending Review settlement.
The Government does not allocate a specific proportion of adult social care funding to meals on wheels services. Local authorities are responsible for how they use available funding to fulfil their duties under the Care Act 2014. The Government has radically simplified local authority funding for adult social care, giving councils more flexibility over the use of funding to deliver this government’s priorities for adult social care and respond to local need.
The Government has a longstanding commitment to provide funding to local authorities on a non-ringfenced basis. This supports effective and innovative financial management at the local level, giving local authorities the flexibility to make spending decisions based on local needs and priorities. This commitment underpins the Government’s wider approach to simplifying the funding landscape and reducing unnecessary controls and administrative burdens.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of meals on wheels provision in (a) the Brighton and Hove local authority area and (b) other areas; and what steps he is taking to improve provision.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of meals on wheels provision in (a) the Brighton and Hove local authority area and (b) other areas; and what steps he is taking to improve provision.
No assessment has been made of the adequacy of meals on wheels provision in Brighton and Hove or other areas.
Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people.
In undertaking these duties, there are elements of good market shaping practice that can be applied more widely. These include encouraging a wide range of service provision to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate and high quality care services in their local area.
The Government is making over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26, to support the sector in making improvements, including the provision of care services.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that Meals on Wheels services are adequately resourced to meet the (a) nutritional needs and (b) social well-being of (i) older and (ii) disabled people.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that Meals on Wheels services are adequately resourced to meet the (a) nutritional needs and (b) social well-being of (i) older and (ii) disabled people.
The provision of Meals on Wheels is an important public service and Councils are best placed to make decisions about their provision alongside other local services.
To enable this, final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2023/24 makes available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £5.1 billion or 9.4% in cash terms on 2022/23. This includes around £2 billion in additional grant for social care through the Settlement for 2023/24.
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many people used a meals on wheels service in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, (3) 2020, (4) 2021, and (5) 2022.
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many people used a meals on wheels service in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, (3) 2020, (4) 2021, and (5) 2022.
This information is not held centrally by the Department.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will provide funding to local authorities to reintroduce a nationwide meals on wheels service for the vulnerable during the covid-19 outbreak.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will provide funding to local authorities to reintroduce a nationwide meals on wheels service for the vulnerable during the covid-19 outbreak.
MHCLG continues to work with local authorities to develop appropriate measures that ensure those most vulnerable have access to food and drink throughout the Covid-19 outbreak.
On 23 March, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for this Department announced steps to protect 1.5 million high-risk individuals. These individuals received letters asking them to shield themselves and stay at home for the next 12 weeks.
To support these high-risk individuals, we are working with local authorities, the food industry, local resilience and emergency partners, and voluntary groups to ensure these individuals have essential items such as groceries and medicine through deliveries and priority supermarket delivery slots, if they do not have alternative means of accessing these.
In addition, we have announced over £3.2 billion in funding to support local authorities to respond to this pandemic.
Before the last election, the then Leader of the Opposition said:
“Any Cabinet minister...who comes to me and says ‘here are my plans and they involve front line reductions’ will be sent back to their department to go away and think again.”
Yet we now know that the social care front line has been cut, including the simple act of giving a hot meal to elderly people living at home alone, with 220,000 fewer elderly people receiving meals on wheels compared with 2010, when that promise was made. I have a very simple question for the Secretary of State: why is that?
Before the last election, the then Leader of the Opposition said:
“Any Cabinet minister...who comes to me and says ‘here are my plans and they involve front line reductions’ will be sent back to their department to go away and think again.”
Yet we now know that the social care front line has been cut, including the simple act of giving a hot meal to elderly people living at home alone, with 220,000 fewer elderly people receiving meals on wheels compared with 2010, when that promise was made. I have a very simple question for the Secretary of State: why is that?
The amount spent by councils in cash terms is roughly the same as it was in 2010-11 so far as adult social care is concerned. The net revenue on adult social care was £14.6 billion—about 30% of councils’ budgets. Individual councils have made various decisions and it is up to those councils to defend them. We have tried to ensure, with the better care fund, better co-ordination between medical care and social care, including domiciliary care.
The amount spent by councils in cash terms is roughly the same as it was in 2010-11 so far as adult social care is concerned. The net revenue on adult social care was £14.6 billion—about 30% of councils’ budgets. Individual councils have made various decisions and it is up to those councils to defend them. We have tried to ensure, with the better care fund, better co-ordination between medical care and social care, including domiciliary care.
The amount spent by councils in cash terms is roughly the same as it was in 2010-11 so far as adult social care is concerned. The net revenue on adult social care was £14.6 billion—about 30% of councils’ budgets. Individual councils have made various decisions and it is up to those councils to defend them. We have tried to ensure, with the better care fund, better co-ordination between medical care and social care, including domiciliary care.
Before the last election, the then Leader of the Opposition said:
“Any Cabinet minister...who comes to me and says ‘here are my plans and they involve front line reductions’ will be sent back to their department to go away and think again.”
Yet we now know that the social care front line has been cut, including the simple act of giving a hot meal to elderly people living at home alone, with 220,000 fewer elderly people receiving meals on wheels compared with 2010, when that promise was made. I have a very simple question for the Secretary of State: why is that?
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current and planned trend for the reduction of (1) district nurses, (2) midwife services, and (3) meals on wheels to elderly and sick people in their homes; and how this is affecting the ability of National Health Service hospitals to return patients...
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current and planned trend for the reduction of (1) district nurses, (2) midwife services, and (3) meals on wheels to elderly and sick people in their homes; and how this is affecting the ability of National Health Service hospitals to return patients...
The Government is committed to making real changes to the quality and availability of all NHS services and has no plans to reduce services in the areas specified.
The Department published Care in local communities: A new vision and model for district nursing, in January 2013, to provide best practice guidance to be used locally to support the provision of the district nursing services that make a real difference to the patient's experience of health and wellbeing. Community nursing teams are usually led by district nurses, and are made up of an appropriate skill mix to meet local needs and this includes specialist nurses and staff nurses, with support from healthcare assistants. Local areas are using a wider skill mix within their community nursing teams, including extending the role of health care support workers. To ensure an adequate supply of skilled district nurses in the future Health Education England has increased the number of training places for district nurses for 2015-16 by 16.5%.
The Government is committed to improving choice of place of birth, continuity of care and women’s experience of care. There are more than 1,900 full-time equivalent midwives than in May 2010 and a record number, in excess of 5,000 in training. Women can expect a range of choices over maternity services, as set out in the NHS Choice Framework for 2013-14, although these will depend on what is best for them and their baby, as well as what is available locally. Women can choose to receive antenatal care from a midwife or a team of maternity health professionals, including midwives and obstetricians. They can choose to give birth either at home, in a local midwifery facility or in hospital. Postnatal care can also be received at home or in a community setting, such as a Sure Start Children’s Centre.
Meals are provided by the 152 individual councils with adult social services responsibilities on the basis of assessed eligible need. Provision of social care services is a matter for local decision. The Department is unable to provide data on planned trends in provision. The Government has just issued a ring-fenced grant for £25 million to councils that have hard-pressed hospitals in their areas to facilitate faster discharge through additional reablement packages.
In addition, the Government has implemented a number of initiatives to minimise cases of hospital-delayed discharges. The Government has given a record £700 million this winter for 700 more doctors, nearly 4,500 more nurses and 5,000 more beds, including in social care and community settings. This money has been allocated through System Resilience Groups (SRGs), who bring together partners across the health and social care system, including acute and community providers and local authorities. Plans developed by SRGs before the funds were released, were required to include processes of good practice on reducing delayed discharges.
The vast majority of the £5.3 billion Better Care Fund, which begins on 1 April 2015, is being spent on social care and community health services. The aim is to encourage joint working between local authorities and the National Health Service to keep people out of hospital in the first place, as well as helping them to return home as soon as it is safe to do so. The national conditions in the Better Care Fund include the protection of social care and improvements in seven day working across health and social care to help quicker, more appropriate discharge from hospital. All plans must meet these conditions before being approved.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of elderly people who have received meals on wheels in the past year.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of elderly people who have received meals on wheels in the past year.
My Lords, the Health & Social Care Information Centre does not collect comprehensive data on numbers receiving meals; it only collects a subset of this group: those receiving meals as part of a formal package of care. I understand from the information centre that in 2013-14, 31,950 people received meals from councils with adult social services responsibilities as part of a formal care package. Some 29,605 were older people aged 65 or over.
My Lords, the Health & Social Care Information Centre does not collect comprehensive data on numbers receiving meals; it only collects a subset of this group: those receiving meals as part of a formal package of care. I understand from the information centre that in 2013-14, 31,950 people received meals from councils with adult social services responsibilities as part of a formal care package. Some 29,605 were older people aged 65 or over.
My Lords, the Health & Social Care Information Centre does not collect comprehensive data on numbers receiving meals; it only collects a subset of this group: those receiving meals as part of a formal package of care. I understand from the information centre that in 2013-14, 31,950 people received meals from councils with adult social services responsibilities as part of a formal care package. Some 29,605 were older people aged 65 or over.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of elderly people who have received meals on wheels in the past year.
My Lords, 220,000 fewer elderly people received meals on wheels last year than in 2010, when this Government came into office. Why?
My Lords, 220,000 fewer elderly people received meals on wheels last year than in 2010, when this Government came into office. Why?
My Lords, as I have indicated, there are a variety of reasons for this. The data collected by the information centre include only people who receive meals in their homes as part of a council-arranged formal package. They do not include informal arrangements such as the provision of meals at day centres or via daycare, or indeed those who pay the council for their meals, as many do.
My Lords, as I have indicated, there are a variety of reasons for this. The data collected by the information centre include only people who receive meals in their homes as part of a council-arranged formal package. They do not include informal arrangements such as the provision of meals at day centres or via daycare, or indeed those who pay the council for their meals, as many do.
My Lords, as I have indicated, there are a variety of reasons for this. The data collected by the information centre include only people who receive meals in their homes as part of a council-arranged formal package. They do not include informal arrangements such as the provision of meals at day centres or via daycare, or indeed those who pay the council for their meals, as many do.
My Lords, 220,000 fewer elderly people received meals on wheels last year than in 2010, when this Government came into office. Why?
My Lords, I declare an interest as patron of the National Association of Care Catering. The association recently did some research that showed that, over 10 years, the numbers of people receiving meals on wheels has gone down from 40 million to half that number. That is really very worrying. Can the Government explain whether it would be better to have a statutory requirement for someone to provide these services to the huge numbers of older and vulnerable people within the community?
My Lords, I declare an interest as patron of the National Association of Care Catering. The association recently did some research that showed that, over 10 years, the numbers of people receiving meals on wheels has gone down from 40 million to half that number. That is really very worrying. Can the Government explain whether it would be better to have a statutory requirement for someone to provide these services to the huge numbers of older and vulnerable people within the community?
My Lords, I do not recognise the figure of 40 million that the noble Baroness mentioned; perhaps she and I could confer after this Question. I think that what matters here is that those with eligible needs receive the service they require. It is up to local authorities to determine eligibility criteria, but the latest available data from ADASS show that all local authorities are setting their eligibility criteria to ensure that they meet at least critical and substantial levels of need.
My Lords, I do not recognise the figure of 40 million that the noble Baroness mentioned; perhaps she and I could confer after this Question. I think that what matters here is that those with eligible needs receive the service they require. It is up to local authorities to determine eligibility criteria, but the latest available data from ADASS show that all local authorities are setting their eligibility criteria to ensure that they meet at least critical and substantial levels of need.
My Lords, I do not recognise the figure of 40 million that the noble Baroness mentioned; perhaps she and I could confer after this Question. I think that what matters here is that those with eligible needs receive the service they require. It is up to local authorities to determine eligibility criteria, but the latest available data from ADASS show that all local authorities are setting their eligibility criteria to ensure that they meet at least critical and substantial levels of need.
My Lords, I declare an interest as patron of the National Association of Care Catering. The association recently did some research that showed that, over 10 years, the numbers of people receiving meals on wheels has gone down from 40 million to half that number. That is really very worrying. Can the Government explain whether it would be better to have a statutory requirement for someone to provide these services to the huge numbers of older and vulnerable people within the community?
My Lords, some years ago I was a chairman of social services, and many elderly people did not like the meals that came. I wonder whether that is still the position. I also wonder whether the position in hospitals is similar, as we have found that more people suffered from malnutrition after they had been in hospital than before. That happened
because people could not feed themselves adequately and the maid or carer who delivered the food to them would come in and say, “Oh, you didn’t like your lunch, dear”, and take it away. Of course, they have found ways round that, but have they found ways to ensure that people are getting meals that they like, and is someone seeing that they actually eat them?
My Lords, some years ago I was a chairman of social services, and many elderly people did not like the meals that came. I wonder whether that is still the position. I also wonder whether the position in hospitals is similar, as we have found that more people suffered from malnutrition after they had been in hospital than before. That happened
because people could not feed themselves adequately and the maid or carer who delivered the food to them would come in and say, “Oh, you didn’t like your lunch, dear”, and take it away. Of course, they have found ways round that, but have they found ways to ensure that people are getting meals that they like, and is someone seeing that they actually eat them?
My noble friend makes a series of important points. I do not have information on how many people dislike their meals on wheels, but the fact that many purchase them must indicate that the quality of those meals in many areas is of a high standard. There is also charitable provision, which I should have mentioned as well. The context here is surely the new regime that will be ushered in by the advent of the Care Act, which builds support around the individual and their needs and preferences.
My noble friend makes a series of important points. I do not have information on how many people dislike their meals on wheels, but the fact that many purchase them must indicate that the quality of those meals in many areas is of a high standard. There is also charitable provision, which I should have mentioned as well. The context here is surely the new regime that will be ushered in by the advent of the Care Act, which builds support around the individual and their needs and preferences.
My noble friend makes a series of important points. I do not have information on how many people dislike their meals on wheels, but the fact that many purchase them must indicate that the quality of those meals in many areas is of a high standard. There is also charitable provision, which I should have mentioned as well. The context here is surely the new regime that will be ushered in by the advent of the Care Act, which builds support around the individual and their needs and preferences.
My Lords, some years ago I was a chairman of social services, and many elderly people did not like the meals that came. I wonder whether that is still the position. I also wonder whether the position in hospitals is similar, as we have found that more people suffered from malnutrition after they had been in hospital than before. That happened
because people could not feed themselves adequately and the maid or carer who delivered the food to them would come in and say, “Oh, you didn’t like your lunch, dear”, and take it away. Of course, they have found ways round that, but have they found ways to ensure that people are getting meals that they like, and is someone seeing that they actually eat them?
My Lords, the figures used by my noble friend Lord Touhig were obtained by freedom of information means from local authorities in England. Those figures cover years in which there was a substantial rise in the number of over-65s in the United Kingdom, yet they show a decline of about a quarter of a million in the number of people receiving meals on wheels. I repeat my noble friend’s question: why?
My Lords, the figures used by my noble friend Lord Touhig were obtained by freedom of information means from local authorities in England. Those figures cover years in which there was a substantial rise in the number of over-65s in the United Kingdom, yet they show a decline of about a quarter of a million in the number of people receiving meals on wheels. I repeat my noble friend’s question: why?
My Lords, I was not seeking to doubt the figures obtained through a freedom of information request; they just do not happen to be available to my department. However, it is worth noting that the data on the numbers using services also reflect longer-term trends. For example, the proportion of older people in receipt of local authority-supported social care has been declining steadily for the last 10 years. Among those receiving meals on wheels, the numbers have also been declining steadily over 10 years.