Free school meals extended over the holiday- are they needed?

[GotAnyGrapes17]

Have been chatting about this with various people during the day. Opinions go from "if you can't afford a couple of quid a week to feed your kids something is wrong" to people feeling this is a hugely essential scheme.

I just wondered if anyone who is entitled for FSM genuinely struggles during school holidays with out them.

No judgment here, my child use to be entitled to free school meals, however I didn't miss them during the school holidays....I am just interested to hear other views.

What about all the people who have lost jobs as a result of the pandemic and who are now eligible, so their children will really benefit?

I would imagine with 9 million on furlough and the number of unemployed set to rise this summer holiday period might be a little different from the previous

Those who have children never expected a pandemic that meant a lot of people lost their jobs did they?

Yes they are an essential thing at the moment

Our village used to run a school holiday lunch club for children who usually had free school meals. Take up was high. They’ve announced they won’t be able to run it this year due to lack of volunteers (it was mainly older people who are maybe vulnerable/shielding) and no funding (charity). This will help those families, and all those who have lost jobs/income unexpectedly due to Covid.
I’m not sure why anyone would begrudge a child a free meal anyway, whether their parents ‘deserve’ the service or not.

I’m going to go against the grain. We all are expected to feed our kids any other time. People on furlough are not all living a life of poverty also don’t forget a lot of people will save on travel costs and eating out on during the week.

I think the vouchers are a lot of money per child. Currently the kids attending school have no cooked meals only sandwiches

So to reflect on OPs post a loaf of bread, ham or what ever filling and fruit.

What about the people who work? Are they left out because people assume they are MUCH better off? It’s not always the case

@Sweetlikecoca

I’m going to go against the grain. We all are expected to feed our kids any other time. People on furlough are not all living a life of poverty also don’t forget a lot of people will save on travel costs and eating out on during the week.

I think the vouchers are a lot of money per child. Currently the kids attending school have no cooked meals only sandwiches

So to reflect on OPs post a loaf of bread, ham or what ever filling and fruit.

What about the people who work? Are they left out because people assume they are MUCH better off? It’s not always the case

Due to my DC being in YR we could still have received a voucher for free meals during lockdown if we had chosen to do so but we didn’t because we didn’t need to. Not everyone who is entitled will take up the offer but for some who are and need it, then it’s a good thing that it is there.

Of course they're needed.
There was no such thing when DD was young, but it was literally heat or eat in our house for a good few years.

I think due to the extra poverty many people are finding themselves in this year then yes this will be a lifesaver for many

@Sweetlikecoca

I’m going to go against the grain. We all are expected to feed our kids any other time. People on furlough are not all living a life of poverty also don’t forget a lot of people will save on travel costs and eating out on during the week.

I think the vouchers are a lot of money per child. Currently the kids attending school have no cooked meals only sandwiches

So to reflect on OPs post a loaf of bread, ham or what ever filling and fruit.

What about the people who work? Are they left out because people assume they are MUCH better off? It’s not always the case

There are children that come back into school every September that are noticeably thinner. I’ve noticed an increase in my food bill enough that the savings of not travelling are all but cancelled out. Not everyone will eat out midweek or even once a month.
There are plenty of parents who are struggling just above the FSM level and if they have also been furloughed I bet that has made things even tougher.

And not everybody who works is rolling in it either by the time they have paid all their outgoings I’m just saying the other side as well

£15 a week per child. What the hell are they eating caviar ? I’m a nurse on band 5 with 2DC. I earn approx £200 a month more by nursing full time rather than being on benefits and doing sweet fa. I have to also pay for a car (think old banger) & hospital parking. So in August if I was on benefits I would have received £120 more with these vouchers. That’s really pissed me off knowing I’ll be working for £80 in August.
Thank you Marcus. You obviously have no respect for nurses (and many other key workers on similar wages)

My ds, aged 15, SN and SEN, is 6ft2 and eats like a horse.
Normally he gets a cooked meal with pudding at School.
I am sure the quality isn't great but he says the portions are good and the dinner ladies will give him leftovers (he's usually last in queue due to bullying and they dish up a big plateful to him at the end of lunch)
My 'free school meals' vouchers for him are £15 for 5 days missed lunches. So, they can provide that for £3 per day which is good.

I am very glad to have the vouchers over the summer.
I live on 1 x Carers allowance of £67.25, for being Carer to BOTH my kids with Autism. I worked until last year when dd had a breakdown and I became very ill too (I am also disabled). I may never work again.

Now, when I got married I didn't know they'd be severly Autistic.
(2nd child born before 1st diagnosed so not 'irresponsible' to have 2)
Or that their Father would leave as it was all 'too stressful' for him.
Or that he would become violent so I'd have to flee the marital home.
Or that I'd not see a penny of maintenance in the 4 years since.

So, yes, I'm grateful and Yes, we need them
over 600,000 people have lost their jobs since this began.
They may need them too - the KIDS that is.

Yea that's exact what Marcus was aiming for when trying to get hungry children fed - to show the UK he has no respect for nurses! so you think children should go hungry cos you are only working for £80?

I honestly have no problem with feeding our hungry kids, just because it's not a service I need and I'm glad they've done a U turn.

It’s just over £2 a day, don’t think you can get much caviar for that.

@OldLace thank you- these were the kinds of posts I was interested to hear. Like I said, no judgment at all. I was genuinely interested.

Speckledhen10 that is unfair - I think Marcus Rashford is squarely thinking about the children who had no choice in the matter rather than parents.

But yes maybe we should be looking at criteria that doesnt just rely on benefits

@Orangecake123 yes totally agree. I'd much rather it be given that not- because if one child is going hungry it's too many. I just hadn't actually spoken to anyone (even people who's children are entitled to FSM) that said they really needed it.

I am an absolute firm believer in you shouldn't have children if you cannot afford them without any additional help

However

I understand that life doesn't work that way, and people have children they can't afford and circumstances change that are often out of people's control.

I am more than happy for my tax money to go towards something like this, more than happy.

@Speckledhen10

£15 a week per child. What the hell are they eating caviar ? I’m a nurse on band 5 with 2DC. I earn approx £200 a month more by nursing full time rather than being on benefits and doing sweet fa. I have to also pay for a car (think old banger) & hospital parking. So in August if I was on benefits I would have received £120 more with these vouchers. That’s really pissed me off knowing I’ll be working for £80 in August. Thank you Marcus. You obviously have no respect for nurses (and many other key workers on similar wages)

Posts like these never go down well. Everybody is so entitled. Many parents have had to pay nursery fees and been furloughed... a lot of people usually buy there lunch at work and coffee too.

To those people who can't picture or imagine such poverty, think yourselves lucky.

We have had mum's crying when food parcels were delivered from school, they were that grateful.

I am pleased the government have extended it through the summer and well done to Marcus Rashford!!

Yes. Next question?

It’s really easy to assume that everyone has the same resources and ability as you do. I remember watching a programme with families on benefits and it was shocking - one girl and her mum literally had nothing in thier Fridge or freezer, theY had to walk miles to the nearest food bank and often didn’t have money for gas/electric meaning they couldn’t cook food.
There are plants of similar families out there. Yes, Some will be in extreme poverty due to drug addiction or just not caring about thier kids but that will be the minority, others will be in poverty due to death of a partner, disabilities, mental health problems, domestic abuse, etc etc.
Like others I don’t begrudge those kids a few quid a week to eat. They have enough to deal with. Marcus Rashford has done an amazing thing for those children by fighting for them and giving them a voice.

I think people who are eligible for FSM , by fulfilling the criteria not just being in certain school years , should always have been given food vouchers for the holiday periods , it shouldn’t have taken a pandemic to sort it out .

@GotAnyGrapes17 a lot of people who really need the vouchers will probably be too proud to admit it. Often it’s people you wouldn’t even realise, it’s not just ‘chavs drinking on street corners’ or whatever other stereotype you are thinking, any of us could fall on hard times through a series of unfortunate events and find ourselves penniless.