Four nonresidential services will be impacted by the change which will change the charge for over 200 service users.

Short Break respite care, use of day centres, home visits where two carers are needed and the Meals on Wheels service will all be covered by the new charges.

The Meals on Wheels service, used by around 100 people across the borough, will no longer be subsidised by the council when the current contract expires at the end of March.

Under the current system Wokingham Borough Council pays at least £6.44 towards the cost of each £10 meal. In total the executive expects to save £80K from stopping subsidising the service whilst still investing £39K into alternative provision.

The new charges were approved at a meeting of Wokingham Borough’s decision making executive on Thursday, January 29. Just three days before Dignity Action Day, a national event to raise awareness of the needs of the elderly.

Julian McGhee-Sumner, executive member for health and wellbeing, said: “We remain the lowest funded unitary authority in the country, and we have to ensure that those who are able to pay for services are asked to do so, so we can continue to provide social care services for those who are in greatest need.

“Subsidised services benefit only a small number of customers, around six per cent, leaving many other customers disadvantaged. Now the executive has agreed to them it will mean a more straightforward, fairer and equitable system. Please be reassured we won’t stop providing services to people unable to contribute towards the cost of their services.” Anyone with less than £23,250 in savings will still have services paid for but people with more than that in the bank the new charges will apply.

Funding for respite care will have a 'fairer contribution charge applied’ which will save 70 clients money but the council will net an approximate saving of £50K.

Use of day centres will move from it’s current capped charge of £18 per day to a new uncapped system. This is expected to next the council at least £15K a year.

At present home visits where two carers are needed are only charged as if one attended. This will also be scrapped under the new scheme and will save the borough council £110K a year after 2017.

The new charges will be phased in gradually with any increase capped at £50 per week until the end of March 2017. After that the full charge will be applied.

A consultation was carried out was carried out between October 1 and December 1 last year. The consultation document was sent to 1,235 service users and 63 private providers. Only 76 responses were received.