To ask why do people not working claiming FSM get this for free?

Silly people. How dare they not be able to see into the future.

We support a charity called Buttle UK who help families in the sort of situations you describe.

When I hear examples of how some of those families were living before the charity stepped in to help, my heart breaks.

It isn't just about whether they can afford school meals or not.

Imagine two children sharing a single bed because they can't afford another bed. One of those children is traumatised from something they witnessed, and wets the bed during night terrors. Now neither child is sleeping well.

Mum can't keep up with the laundry because her washing machine broke and she can't afford to replace it.

Now those kids sometimes don't have sheets on the bed.

Those kids qualify for FSM. Personally I think they deserve after school club too.

I'm also glad that due to the fundraising efforts of people all over the country (including events like children in need) families that need help can be helped.

I don't begrudge them the assistance they get.

It's where they are in their current stage of education in March 2025. So if there is still in primary then it will stop end of primary, if in high school it will stop end of high school,

I can confirm that once you've been on FSMs, it's so so difficult to be taken off them!

My youngest is now 17 but back when he started school, there was an admin error and I was entitled to FSM. Not only that but I was called and told I could have free uniform, a grant towards a laptop, all sorts

But it was an error. I was married with two kids and a combined income of 85K back then.

So I told the school it was an error and they had no idea how it had happened but assured me they'd correct it

Well, I was still struggling with this when he went into year 7 and I finally lost my temper and sent a blistering email telling them to take me off it and ensure that it was done properly this time

So I wouldn't be jealous OP. I found it quite embarrassing to keep being offered this stuff and I felt I was spoken to like I was some sort of halfwit with a 'poor child'

Having to keep saying ' we have money! We don't need assistance!' No thank you, we will pay for the school trip!' became really wearing

We are also looking to do the same and fortunately in a position where we can, phew! It's just hideous to think Brexit has made that so much harder for young people. I wonder what the brain drain would be like if we hadn't had Brexit....

Ultimately, people need to stop having children if they can't afford them.

If you read up, you will see that rising damp is really rare (and some say a myth!) and something that is diagnosed often in order to sell useless treatments. I was told my house had rising damp about 15 years ago and was quoted about 4k to have a damp course injected. I did loads of reading about it and have basically solved the issues myself at a fraction of that price. Have a good look at them website I linked to. There are lots of other sources of info too.

Really? It is rising damp unfortunately! Trying to get quotes for things but people aren't turning up. 🙄

That’s very judgemental. I grew up in a “poor” family claiming FSM and many other benefits and my home life was perfectly happy thanks as I’m sure many others are/were.

Hi @WithACatLikeTread . Off topic, but you probably don't need a new damp course (I assume someone has said you need the injectible gubbins), especially if you have an old house. Ventilation, heating and using breathable paints could cure the issues.

https://www.heritage-house.org/damp-and-condensation/managing-damp-in-old-buildings.html

What is also sad is that they may become chips off the old block and become the next generation of Ebenezer Scrooges and Nigel Farages I seem to often encounter here.

I feel very sorry for the children of posters who think it’s acceptable to repeatedly post spiteful bullshit like that.

It must be horrible growing up in a home knowing your parent would despise you if you were unemployed.

Id think it's not people falsely claiming but that cm is not considered at all. And doesn't have to be the pittance cms calculation.

I do wonder if the announcement today about cms going after them 6 weeks instead of 6 months precedes an inclusion of cm in benefit calculations as a policy to lower the bill.

I'd guess because their hierarchy of needs does not have a large house in a naice area at the apex?

Different folks, different strokes.

But dont you see how dangerous it is to perpetuate the myth that people on benefits who have nice things must be taking the piss/fiddling/defrauding the system?

Its a dangerous narrative because its SO often wrong, and is the kind of rhetoric that people like some of the folk posting on this thread like to hang on to.

Someone already claimed we're only getting our kids diagnosed with disabilities to get extra money, like claiming DLA/PIP is the easiest thing in the world..

I didn't say it was right.

Yes hopefully! It’s a bloody nightmare!

at the children’s expense?

Maybe they have a not very nice life and children being some joy to them?

Well said, @Oblahdeeoblahdoe

That's good for you but not many people are that lucky. I would do the same for my family.
I was really trying to dispel the myth that benefits are generous and the government is handing out loads of money to families, they're really not.

Why isn’t it putting off people who are out of work? Not being nasty, I’m genuinely curious why this foresight only seems to apply to average earners

Hopefully we can try and get some savings together to get it done. Just seems to be one thing after another that needs fixing! (Old house!)

This thread is very depressing. On the face of it yes, I agree that people shouldn't have children that they cannot afford. However my kids are 9 and nearly 6 and my circumstances have changed a lot since my 9 year old was born. I'm a single parent now and whilst I work almost full time I can empathise hugely with people who are in dire straits and can't work for whatever reason. Telling someone that they "shouldn't have kids they can't afford" when the kids are already here is really pointless because the kids are here now and still need feeding!

The birth rate IS dropping btw, and the cost of living and cost of childcare is putting people off.

Because disabled people exist, and have children, and some of them get FSM? It’s as relevant to us as it is to able bodied people, especially when posters are whinging and moaning about people getting something for nothing, and claiming that no one needs to be in the position of needing help.

Did you think we all lived in a little box somewhere and weren’t affected by social policy?