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Original poster

Just at the cut off for free school meals

139 replies

Velveteengreen · 03/07/2024 13:27

We claim UC and are just under the threshold for FSM. Therefore all the holiday clubs and activities that we could access during school holidays, we’ll need to pay for ourselves. which isn’t feasible. We’ll just about be able to afford to feed our DS this summer holiday as it is and we’ll probably end up back in the overdraft.
I so understand there has to be a cut off point, but I can’t help feeling a little envious when friends who do qualify for FSM are talking about sending their DC into holiday camps for the entire 6 weeks for free. Plus a lot of them will get money from councils for food and essentials too. Same as last year.
I’m honestly not trying to upset anybody but I just feel really down and worried about the upcoming holidays.

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 03/07/2024 17:56

ToWonderWhyIBother · 03/07/2024 13:43

The easiest way to do this is to pay a higher % of your pension contributions should you pay into your company pension, you might need to play around with the percentages.

That is such a middle class response. You are on very lie earnings to get fsm, be lucky to have a pension at all.

magnoliablooms · 03/07/2024 17:41

iamtheblcksheep · 03/07/2024 13:54

If you are struggling on full time hours op and you have been in your job for some time please start looking around for something that will pay better.

Edited

This

magnoliablooms · 03/07/2024 17:40

We’ll just about be able to afford to feed our DS this summer holiday as it is and we’ll probably end up back in the overdraft.

Then WTAF are you doing paying "the maximum" into your pensions. Sort yourself out.

Peoplearebloodyidiots · 03/07/2024 17:36

Pep12per · 03/07/2024 15:38

It's not childcare, it's the HAF programme providing a meal and activity for children in the holidays who suddenly don't get their free school meal.
I guess depends on your politics whether you see these parents as struggling or scroungers.

Show quote history

Clearly not struggling if they have the luxury of making max pension contributions...therefore scrounging - in response to the options you have presented.

Theweepywillow · 03/07/2024 17:34

Im starting to think neither works full time.

KaToby · 03/07/2024 17:31

Are you both working and earning less than £7400? I work part time, I’m a single parent and I don’t qualify even though I receive UC so I don’t see how you can be close to the threashold?

Penguinfeet24 · 03/07/2024 17:28

With the best will in the world, I do not pay into a pension and neither does my husband because we can't afford to as we have to feed and clothe our two children. Drop the pension contributions, your children need it now!

Theweepywillow · 03/07/2024 17:23

I was also one of those kids and now as an adult with my own kids I find it dismaying anyone is envious someone gets free school meals and free kids clubs. The op says they are a family on benefits, and obvs very low income if they are just above the threshold for fsm.

not being able to feed your family and relying on benefits is nothing to be envious of.

ruby1957 · 03/07/2024 17:21

ruby1957 · 03/07/2024 14:01

From the government website - the £7400 is after tax and after deducting the UC - so not gross income

As I said upthread and what many of you are missing - particularly as the OP has not been up-front about what their income after tax is or how much UC and other benefits they receive.

Do correct me if that is an incorrect understanding.

If their earned income after tax minus (their UC and other benefits) is less than £7,400 they get FSM

I suspect their UC is quite large including rent etc, plus child benefit, plus maybe they are self-employed and earn little

listsandbudgets · 03/07/2024 17:09

DP and I pay an absolute shedload of tax both personally and through our company and I'd love to see at least some of it going to raise the free school meal threshold. It's insanely low.

It was set in 2018 at £7400. Now to have the same spending power you'd need to be earning over £9350 - which is hardly rolling in it. this is from Bank of England Inflation calculator

I was fortunate enough to benefit from FSM as a child when we needed them and depriving children of them now is just not right.

Just at the cut off for free school meals
dottydodah · 03/07/2024 17:05

Someone is always going to "miss out " though. FSM are much needed to provide hungry children from not appearing as though they are an advert for Oliver ! If

TorturedPoetsDepartmentAnthology · 03/07/2024 17:03

Perhaps there are disabilities or illness or caring responsibilities which mean they cannot work full time?

Either way, as a PP said, there is no envy of people who cannot afford to feed their own children.

Blondeshavemorefun · 03/07/2024 17:01

I don't think the haf is for free childcare

But more so that the kids will get a hot meal each day

Boomer55 · 03/07/2024 16:51

HowIrresponsible · 03/07/2024 14:16

Quite. I'm appalled at people telling her to drop hours or pay more into a pension to get meals or holiday clubs.

Why not up your hours so you earn more and get less UC and have more money to pay for the family you wanted.

Show quote history

This. 🙄

Ozanj · 03/07/2024 16:39

Velveteengreen · 03/07/2024 13:47

we are both already paying the max into our pensions, I don’t think we can up it

There is no ‘max’. Go and talk to your employer and discuss additional contributions.

TomatoSandwiches · 03/07/2024 16:38

Beekeepingmum · 03/07/2024 16:14

Never be envious of those who are dependent on the state to feed their kids

Me neither and I was one of those kids in the 80s.

I save my fury for the corporate tax dodgers over Joe blogs getting a free lunch for their child in the summer tbh.

Why is the cut off so low though, I'm sure it was much higher than that.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 03/07/2024 16:27

CandiedPrincess · 03/07/2024 15:42

This!

Feeding my child would be first priority, not relying on handouts that I may or may not be eligible for. I'd worry about pension when I was in a more financially stable position.

Show quote history

I agree - pay less into your pension. Pay nothing in if the alternative is not being able to feed your child.

Bananabreadandstrawberries · 03/07/2024 16:23

Velveteengreen · 03/07/2024 13:27

We claim UC and are just under the threshold for FSM. Therefore all the holiday clubs and activities that we could access during school holidays, we’ll need to pay for ourselves. which isn’t feasible. We’ll just about be able to afford to feed our DS this summer holiday as it is and we’ll probably end up back in the overdraft.
I so understand there has to be a cut off point, but I can’t help feeling a little envious when friends who do qualify for FSM are talking about sending their DC into holiday camps for the entire 6 weeks for free. Plus a lot of them will get money from councils for food and essentials too. Same as last year.
I’m honestly not trying to upset anybody but I just feel really down and worried about the upcoming holidays.

If you are both working full time and able to pay into a pension, you would be well over the threshold for UC even if you are on the minimum wage.

If you only work a few hours a week to qualify for UC, then you don’t need to have holidays covered and free food etc.

Surely you can’t be expecting to work so little, with a school aged child, and receive so many benefits for free? How is this country supposed to function?

Meals aren’t “free” - taxpayers are paying for that. Same for holiday care and UC benefits.

Beekeepingmum · 03/07/2024 16:14

Never be envious of those who are dependent on the state to feed their kids

NameChangePoP · 03/07/2024 15:57

WithACatLikeTread · 03/07/2024 15:50

Many reasons why parents can't work full time including too expensive childcare or disability. It actually works better if you are in retail to drop your hours and get UC than work full time as it isn't work it financially. Blame the government rather than the individual.

That's not true on UC. The more you work the better off you are.

37TTCLeeds · 03/07/2024 15:55

Why is it someone else's responsibility to feed your children. Don't have them if you can't feed them.

Beezknees · 03/07/2024 15:54

WithACatLikeTread · 03/07/2024 15:50

Many reasons why parents can't work full time including too expensive childcare or disability. It actually works better if you are in retail to drop your hours and get UC than work full time as it isn't work it financially. Blame the government rather than the individual.

No it doesn't. I'm a claimant myself and you are better off the more you work.

WithACatLikeTread · 03/07/2024 15:53

Beezknees · 03/07/2024 15:46

Although I'm tempted to believe that this is a wind up to get people frothing about benefits, last minute attempts from Tory HQ.

Doesn't need much encouraging really. 😁

WithACatLikeTread · 03/07/2024 15:50

Many reasons why parents can't work full time including too expensive childcare or disability. It actually works better if you are in retail to drop your hours and get UC than work full time as it isn't work it financially. Blame the government rather than the individual.

PinkFrogss · 03/07/2024 15:47

Have you created an account just to post this thread OP?