PENSIONERS have been left stunned after it was revealed the price of home delivered hot meals on wheels in the county will rise by 40 per cent.

The meals currently cost £2.50 for a hot or frozen dinner.

The price of a hot meal will rise to £3 in October, and again to £3.50 next April.

The price of a frozen meal will remain the same.

The meals are funded by Gloucestershire County Council, and delivered to homes and centres across the area by the WRVS.

The current pension rate is £97.65 a week, and if residents have six hot meals each week they will pay an extra £12 a month from October.

A meal might include cottage pie, vegetables, chicken in sauce, beef and a range of puddings among other foods.

Pensioners have been left stunned by the news.

Kenneth Clarke, chairman of the Gloucestershire Pensioners Forum, said: "This seems excessive to me, it seems like a very large percentage increase.

"They should be basing their prices on what is economically viable for them, not on what other authorities are doing.

"I do have some sympathy, price rises are inevitable as the Government is capping increases in council tax, so they are stuck.

Stuck

"However, they should not be inflicting such steep increases on pensioners."

Alan Gore, general manager of Age Concern in the Forest of Dean, echoed the concern.

He said: "I am not aware of the justification for such an increase in the cost of meals on wheels.

"It will obviously have a significant impact on the finances of their users."

The county council said the new price will bring it in line with other neighbouring councils, and that the authority is still subsidising each hot meal by 40 per cent.

However, Worcestershire County Council charges just £2.57 for a hot meal.

Bath and NE Somerset charge £3.90 for a hot meal, while pensioners in Bristol pay £3.60.

Councillor Tony Hicks, Gloucestershire County Council cabinet member for adult social care, said: "We know how important it is to the people who use it but it does cost a lot of money.

"We are expecting the funding we receive from Government to reduce by around 30 per cent in October, and increasingly, we will have to pass on more of the true cost of services to our customers."

The council will provide the community meals service if a person falls into any of the following criteria;

■ Is unable to heat pre-prepared meals due to illness, frailty or disability.

■ They would be putting themselves or others at risk by cooking.

■ Is at risk of forgetting to eat.

The meals are nutritionally balanced. They are not means tested.