Just at the cut off for free school meals

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

The cut off for free school meals is extremely low so you must have an income of less than £7k per year which indicates neither of you are working full time

If you are both in work is there a reason one of you can't work full time?

I'm a single parent working full time on a salary of £26k and I've never been entit3D to free school meals for DS apart from the universal ones in key stage 1.

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.

👍
Very good!

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.

Except the higher rate tax payer probably isn't claiming anything at all as it's unlikely they will be entitled to anything. If you're talking about people earning over £100k then the additional tax burden is insane when they are already contributing so much. The person earning £100k plus is probably working very hard and extremely long hours in a high pressure job. If it was that easy to earn that amount then we would all be doing it!

People like OP will be contributing very little and taking a hell of a lot from the system. They must be working very little to be so close to the FSM threshold and posters are encouraging her to work less or divert more of her money into pensions so that she can claim even more.

This is why the system is broken. The sense of entitlement amongst some groups is through the roof. Why on earth should the rest of us be paying for OP's kids to go to free holiday clubs when she works so many hours less than us and we all have to pay for our kids to go to holiday clubs whilst we are , you know, actually at work?

Am guessing the OP won't be back.

(and possibly already has someone in their DMs, offering to pay for her 'childcare')

A wild guess given two adults do not earn 8k between them (but are well enough to do some work)? I'll stand corrected if the OP returns.

You're paying the full amount into your pension but can barely afford to feed your child? Cut the pension for starters. As PP say the cut off is v low, can you pick up more hours or a second job? If you're only working v few hours why do you need so much childcare?

Absolutely ridiculous.

Does anyone in this country try to work full time or is it just take take take?

She mentions a partner - between them they can't earn £8k?!!

This must be a troll. Don't believe that this is a genuine post otherwise this country is well and truly f**d

How can two able bodied people be unable to earn more than £8k per annum and be complaining about not getting free school meals and freebies

Then have other posters encouraging her or him to up pension contributions to get below the threshold when they apparently can't feed their kids.

Level of entitlement in the U.K. is shocking and likely worse under Labour which endorses this behaviour

Both could be argued to be morally dubious. I said different. There's a big difference between someone being annoyed that their much higher net contribution to the state gives them less in return and taking some mitigating action vs. someone thinking the state should find their entire life whilst offering up nothing in contribution. The net impact is radically different.

Both are the fault of a badly designed tax and benefits system.

How do we know OP can't be bothered to work more?

How many hours a week do you and your partner work? (Awaiting the sob story in 3…2…)

Why do your friends need 6 weeks worth of tax-payer funded childcare in the summer holidays if they don’t work full-time, which they mustn’t do if they earn below the FSM threshold.

Both playing the system IE working fewer hours or putting more into a pension to claim something they aren't entitled to. Not sure the higher earner should be claiming moral superiority?

Do,you both work full time op?

Whilst I understand that it's the children who suffer here, the issue is that free school meals are meant to be for the most deprived children. Not just anyone who can't be bothered to work a bit more. The OP already receives plenty of state support. Worst case, the kid could eat peanut butter sandwiches and an apple for lunch all week - costing a couple of quid and presuming the parents feed them breakfast and lunch all year round anyway.Where is the bottomless money pit you think exists?

I thought the threshold was about 17k?

Wow at these responses. Hide money away so you can claim. Wtaf.

reduce your pension if it’s tough right now so you can support your child.

I would review cutting your hours for a short while and claim FSM and then up to your normal hours. School can then also claim PP from October and you are protected until 31 March 2025 even if you earn more.

The threshold is far too low as is the threshold for the healthy start card.

Our son used to do them as he is ex LAC, they were generally 8:30-3:30 and a small fee made them 8:00-5:00, activities were very good, food was great and he enjoyed everyday.

What do you earn @Velveteengreen and what hours do you work ?

Either up your hours , lower what you pay into pension esp if struggling with food

A lot of these things are run in acceptance that these parents will just not look after their kids. I mean look at op..

FYI there is no maximum pension contribution, only a tax free limit and I somehow doubt you are both throwing 60k into a pension pot.