Most people have accepted that the difficult financial times we find ourselves in mean hard decisions have to be made.

All public bodies face tough choices, and it is unlikely anyone will escape being affected by the ongoing cuts in some form or another.

But what all fair-thinking people want to see is for these cuts to hit, as much as possible, those most able to deal with them. And for the burden for any cuts in services to be spread so all parts of society take some of the load.

What few would expect to see is the most vulnerable hit the hardest. However, that is the likely impact of the withdrawal of Bradford Council’s subsidy for the Meals on Wheels service that operates around the district.

The 600 elderly and vulnerable residents who currently use the service pay £3 for a lunchtime hot meal to be delivered to their homes every weekday. The removal of the subsidy will see that cost increase to £5.64 – a staggering 88 per cent extra.

The service is not just about the delivery of a guaranteed hot meal each day, although that in itself is a huge factor.

For many who use the service, Meals on Wheels means a rare visitor to their home, someone to talk to, and someone who will check on their well-being on a regular basis.

There will undoubtedly be some users who can afford to pay a little extra for the service; there may even be a few who will be able to pay all the extra money without too much concern.

But for many, this will be a new source of worry and anxiety. Most have already given plenty to society during their lives; few would have chosen to be in the position they are in now, where they are reliant on a subsidised hot meal.

This increase can only make their situation less palatable. For some, it may mean yet one more thing they can no longer afford.