Councils freeze out the daily hot meal

Two areas are delivering frozen meals on wheels which older people
are expected to heat in a microwave.

The weekly deliveries, introduced by Lincolnshire and Essex
councils, are instead of the daily hot meal. Now other authorities
are considering the scheme.

Essex said it gave older people more flexibility and it had no
intention of phasing out hot meals altogether. In Lincolnshire the
scheme will be for all.

But a spokesperson for care charity WRVS said many meals on wheels
recipients placed a high value on the daily human contact.