CASH shortfalls mean more than one in ten older home owners in the South-West miss a meal every week.

Home owners over the age of 55 in the region are routinely skipping meals, according to research by the Equity Release Council.

Almost one in five (19%) has gone without a meal at least once a month for financial reasons in the past year, while more than one in ten overall (12%) has suffered the experience every week – 2% higher than the national average of (10%).