18. Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the charges made for(a) home help, (b) wardens, and (c) meals on wheels; and if he will make a statement. [35401]
§ Mr. MossThe home help service is provided free to persons aged 75 and over. For others, the amount payable is determined in accordance with my Department's model scheme, introduced in 1980. Boards and trusts have some local discretion, and are required only to ensure that the charge does not exceed the actual cost of providing the service. Depending on locality, the range of charges runs from £4.32 to £6 per hour. However most clients pay only a proportion of this, or nothing at all, following assessment of their financial circumstances.
There is no charge for wardens. The standard charge for meals on wheels is 85p per meal.