‘The service, I could not do without it…’: A qualitative study exploring the significance of Meals on Wheels among service users and people who refer them to the service

Meals on Wheels (MoWs) is a social care service providing daily meals and social contact to adults who need support to live in the community. Considering the rising number of adults who need help with shopping for food and preparing meals in England, MoWs could be essential for these individuals, yet little is known about the experiences of MoWs service users, and people who refer them to MoWs (‘referrers’), with the service. The aim of this study was to explore different dimensions of the MoWs service from the perspectives of MoWs service users and referrers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in May-July 2022 with seven service users and 21 referrers, recruited from four MoWs providers across England, and analysed thematically. Participants indicated that benefits of the service encompassed the daily provision of a hot, nutritious meal, an informal welfare check, the service’s efficiency and reliability in promoting independent living and reducing pressures on families and carers, and the daily friendly interactions in reducing social isolation. The pandemic was not perceived to have affected participants’ experiences with MoWs, but longer interactions between drivers who deliver the meals and service users would be welcomed to reduce isolation further. Despite the cost-of-living crisis and an increase in MoWs prices, participants perceived that MoWs are value-for-money due to the social care benefits derived from the service. The wide range of benefits exerted by MoWs suggests that the service should be recognised as a crucial preventative resource in maintaining the wellbeing and independence of adults with care and support needs, and suggests that MoWs forms an essential part of the care package that people with care and support needs receive in England.