Exploring the role of Meals on Wheels in social care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the role of Meals on Wheels in social care: a mixed-method study of service provision, use, and operation
IRAS ID
354126
Contact name
Angeliki Papadaki
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 7 months, days
Research summary
Background
Meals on Wheels provide meals and social contact to adults who cannot leave their home to get food or prepare their own meals. More than 15 million adults in England could benefit from Meals on Wheels, including older people, disabled people, and/or people with long-term health problems. Meals on Wheels is not a service that councils have to provide, and many have closed their service. The lack of Meals on Wheels could lead to people moving into care homes when they might otherwise be able to stay at home.Aim
The project aims to find out:
1. How has the service been provided and used, and how much does this cost, over time, in England?
2. Who uses Meals on Wheels?
3. What are the benefits of Meals on Wheels to service recipients and their carers?
4. How do different Meals on Wheels providers run their services?Methods
We will answer these questions by analysing publicly available data and by visiting 10 Meals on Wheels providers, including services run by councils, charities and the private sector (incorporating providers that support minority communities). At each site we will interview managers, people who use the service and their carers, and local policy makers. We will ask questions about:
• Who makes decisions on how Meals on Wheels run.
• How people find out about Meals on Wheels and their experiences of using them.
• How much it costs providers to run the service and what it costs people who use them.Findings
We will share findings with service providers, Meals on Wheels recipients and social care policy makers.Six people with lived experience of Meals on Wheels helped us develop this research. This group will continue supporting us throughout the project. They will advise us on key tasks and how to share our findings.
REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/LO/0329
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jun 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion