IT'S a lifeline for great-grandfather Arthur Armitage and hundreds of other old folk across Southampton.

The 85-year-old widower sees his daily delivery of meals on wheels as a godsend.

Today, Social Services chiefs are set to hike up the cost of the hot dinners by 11 per cent.

The increase will make meals on wheels in the city one of the most expensive schemes in the region.

As the Daily Echo reported this week, social services committee members will vote today on the planned increase of 20p to £2.

Around 800 people receive the service and about 4,000 meals are delivered every week in Southampton.

Mr Armitage, who will have to pay an extra £1 a week for his five daily meals if city councillors agree to the rise, says the service is invaluable.

The retired BAT maintenance worker, from Millbrook, said: "I can't grumble about that because those meals are a godsend.

"Every weekday I get a meal delivered to my door and that is vital.

"If you cook your own meal then you are using gas and electricity anyway, so that extra cost is worth it."

The recommendation to raise the charge of the service, which will gain social services an extra £48,000 income, forms part of the department's annual review of fees.

In Portsmouth, the city council charges just £1.50 per meal while the cost in Wiltshire is £1.60, compared with £2 in Dorset.

Chris Perry, director of Age Concern Hampshire, said: "These meals are a lifesaver for many people.

"Some older people haven't got the motivation to actually go out and buy food and cook it themselves, while others are physically unable to do it. It is the only hot meal that some people get."