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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:
Brainded · 03/07/2024 14:41

Missmarple87 · 03/07/2024 14:40

Why do you need summer childcare if neither of you barely work?

yes..this!?!

Missmarple87 · 03/07/2024 14:40

Why do you need summer childcare if neither of you barely work?

Coffeerum · 03/07/2024 14:39

If you’re on UC then you can access subsidised childcare anyway, but if you and your partner are both working and brining in collectively under 7.4k then one of you clearly needs to work more than a handful of hours over the summer.

TruthorDie · 03/07/2024 14:39

Sdpbody · 03/07/2024 14:06

The cut off wage for free school meals is £7400pa....

Come on now... with two adults who are able to pay in to a pension... I think you are both a little cheeky.

Minimum wage is £23,000 annually for full time work, with two of you, that's £46,000 a year.

Lets say you are earning £9,000pa between you, that means that you're earning 1/5 of what you could be. And instead of a potential 40 hours, you are working 8 hours each to be so close to that FSM cut off.

You both need to up your hours and get back to work instead of wanting everything for free.

This is the problem with this country. Take take take.

Errr this. I think lots of us would like the luxury of not working full time and it is a luxury. If you don’t have enough money = work more = earn more money

sprigatito · 03/07/2024 14:36

The threshold is too low. There are so many families like yours who should qualify and don't. I don't have any advice, but you have my sympathy, and my anger on your behalf.

RubySloth · 03/07/2024 14:36

YouJustDoYou · 03/07/2024 14:34

Stop paying the "full max" for bloody starters, if you can "barely afford to feed" your child as it is.

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Tbh it isn't make sense, how can two adults working qualify for FSM but at the same time max out their pension contributions.

YouJustDoYou · 03/07/2024 14:35

iamtheblcksheep · 03/07/2024 14:33

It’s not remotely the same. The high earner is already contributing thousands in tax and NI.

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Tens of thousands. Per year. They do indeed pay a heck of a lot.

ehhdh · 03/07/2024 14:35

And don’t max out on pensions if you need the money now for food

YouJustDoYou · 03/07/2024 14:34

Velveteengreen · 03/07/2024 13:47

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

Stop paying the "full max" for bloody starters, if you can "barely afford to feed" your child as it is.

ehhdh · 03/07/2024 14:34

This is odd. If your friends qualify for fsm, then they are earning less than 2 adults full time min wage. That means they don’t need 6 weeks full time childcare. Someone is seriously taking the piss here.

in your position if you cannot afford to feed your child, I’d try the food bank. With first visit hopefully not needing referral.

iamtheblcksheep · 03/07/2024 14:33

NoTouch · 03/07/2024 14:29

It is no different to high earners putting AVCs into pensions to avoid the higher rate tax burden, investing in a pension potentially will reduce UC/pension credit needed later.

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It’s not remotely the same. The high earner is already contributing thousands in tax and NI.

RubySloth · 03/07/2024 14:32

Leah5678 · 03/07/2024 14:26

Mine qualify for fsm but don't get six weeks of free holiday club 🤔 in fact I've never heard of this being a thing. Are your friends exaggerating to piss you off

Maybe it's area dependent but our local council offers, X activities a day but are similar so every Monday is escape room but that's 1 hour for ks3/4 & ks1/2 have a full day of activities and sen get a full day.

Missmarple87 · 03/07/2024 14:32

NoTouch · 03/07/2024 14:29

It is no different to high earners putting AVCs into pensions to avoid the higher rate tax burden, investing in a pension potentially will reduce UC/pension credit needed later.

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It's quite a lot different because they're actually contributing something in the first place ffs!

NoTouch · 03/07/2024 14:29

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

It is no different to high earners putting AVCs into pensions to avoid the higher rate tax burden, investing in a pension potentially will reduce UC/pension credit needed later.

Brainded · 03/07/2024 14:28

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.

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I was actually being sarcastic to be fair…

Leah5678 · 03/07/2024 14:26

Mine qualify for fsm but don't get six weeks of free holiday club 🤔 in fact I've never heard of this being a thing. Are your friends exaggerating to piss you off

WeAllHaveWings · 03/07/2024 14:22

Velveteengreen · 03/07/2024 13:47

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

Max as in how much your company allows or gov max (£60k).

Are you sure your company doesn’t allow you to input into additional voluntary contributions AVCs, it’s just they won’t match them.

feathermucker · 03/07/2024 14:20

I'm confused about you being just over the threshold. That's £7,400. You must earn more than that if you're able to contribute to pensions, plus there's 2 incomes? Are you wrong about being just over?

HowIrresponsible · 03/07/2024 14:16

Sdpbody · 03/07/2024 14:06

The cut off wage for free school meals is £7400pa....

Come on now... with two adults who are able to pay in to a pension... I think you are both a little cheeky.

Minimum wage is £23,000 annually for full time work, with two of you, that's £46,000 a year.

Lets say you are earning £9,000pa between you, that means that you're earning 1/5 of what you could be. And instead of a potential 40 hours, you are working 8 hours each to be so close to that FSM cut off.

You both need to up your hours and get back to work instead of wanting everything for free.

This is the problem with this country. Take take take.

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.

BusyCM · 03/07/2024 14:12

OldieButBaddie · 03/07/2024 14:08

You can make voluntary contributions, the limit is £60k a year in total!

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Make up to £60k (each) in pension contributions so the OP can bring her household income in under £7400 for free school meals? Actually ridiculous!

Brainded · 03/07/2024 14:11

So what do you earn @Velveteengreen?

OldieButBaddie · 03/07/2024 14:08

Velveteengreen · 03/07/2024 13:47

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

You can make voluntary contributions, the limit is £60k a year in total!

Sdpbody · 03/07/2024 14:06

The cut off wage for free school meals is £7400pa....

Come on now... with two adults who are able to pay in to a pension... I think you are both a little cheeky.

Minimum wage is £23,000 annually for full time work, with two of you, that's £46,000 a year.

Lets say you are earning £9,000pa between you, that means that you're earning 1/5 of what you could be. And instead of a potential 40 hours, you are working 8 hours each to be so close to that FSM cut off.

You both need to up your hours and get back to work instead of wanting everything for free.

This is the problem with this country. Take take take.

ruby1957 · 03/07/2024 14:01

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

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 03/07/2024 13:58

I wouldn't be jealous of the holiday camps, most of the ones near me are for 2 hours and a parent needs to drop and pick up. Longest are 6 hours which is no use to anyone working. They really are only aimed at keeping the children vaguely entertained