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.

Well done Marcus - it’s sad the government are so out of touch with holiday hunger that it’s takes a footballer to push for the u-turn.

@Sweetlikecoca the children at our school get a full hot meal like usual. Not as many choices as normal.

I work in a supermarket and we have had a lot of people trying to use them for alcohol,cigs, clothes, tvs etc ,its fair enough if they need them and they are used for the purpose they are intended for

@Speckledhen10

Not everyone on benefits does sweet fa.

It concerns me that someone as oblivious and downright ignorant and rude as you is in a caring position at work.

Not everyone will benefit from everything.

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

This - we've 2 kids, not eligible for free school meals, not furloughed either but sometimes after bills there's not much left and you're scraping.
People need to look outside of their own bubbles.
I don't begrudge kids getting free school meals, and with them being at home now due to lockdown food bills will have gone up even more.

Can only imagine how much harder it must be to literally be worrying that there's nothing left at all to buy food.

I believe if anything, more children shld be entitled to FSM not just those on certain benefits.

Some who are able to claim FSM will need the money over the summer. Some won't.

Some who aren't eligible to claim FSM will need help but not get it, others won't.

The eligibility criteria for Free School Meals needs to be re-evaluated, it doesn't work. I work in a school in a deprived area, some of our families that struggle the most financially, are not eligible (especially an issue for those 'employed' on 0-hours contracts). Other families live very comfortably and receive their FSM.

Also worth remembering that it's not just about free lunches, schools receive a premium for every FSM pupil they have on roll so that they can offer extra opportunities for 'deprived' pupils; and FSM numbers are used as indicators. It's a way to identify which schools have 'poor' children as much as providing a free lunch.

@OldLace 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.. Please go on to entitledto and ask for benefits check- just with the info you gave here it gives an estimate of this- see attached photo- hope doesn't come across as odd me doing this!

@Speckledhen - I think your issue is nurses pay rather than FSM vouchers.

It's not a race to the bottom.

Yes I'm glad it's been extended.

And the photo!

I'm a carer & work 50 to 60 hours a week for £33, I then get income support for £37 and £68 from working tax and child benefit.

I struggle most school holidays and I miss breakfast and lunch to feed my child, so yes I really need the FSM vouchers. Food prices have gone up, I have to but my own PPE (extra cost) and pay for my own travel to shop and collect medicine, approximately £14 a week, for the person I care for. I save the taxpayer a couple of hundred a week compared with an employed carer, who would also get a council tax discount, which I am not entitled to.

So yes, some people really do need the vouchers.

*meant buy not but apologies.

@TitianaTitsling also DLA for disabled child- although must be claiming this in order to get Carers allowance

Yes, I do think it is necessary to feed impoverished children.

Kids don't choose to be born and whilst time is being wasted on slagging off their parents, those kids still need and deserve to be well fed.

@BrieAndChilli and others that have said similar. I am in no way forgetting the fact that people fall on hard times.

I appreciate some people would not like to say that they are entitled or require FSM. But still on a fairly anonymous forum, and 40 comments I think there has only been one person that has stated that this will actually benefit them.

I'm not saying we should not be feeding "poor" children, but I worry about the cost at this time. Particularly when such a quick U turn has happened, has there been the time to really gather the data.

I personally think that it's fantastic that as a country we are recognising that something needs to change. There are children who can't eat through no fault of their own or their parents.

To me I see a lot of people getting worked up about "having to pay for other people's children" but I think you need to alter your mind to think that it could be you, it could be your children hungry. The only thing that separates you and someone entitled to free school meals is circumstances and unfortunately they can change at any time.

@Iwalkinmyclothing

Appreciated, but I never said that we shouldn't be feeding impoverished kids

Regardless of any moral judgement on children deserving to be fed, feeding our children well is an investment in our future. Hungry children find it harder to concentrate and learn.

What worries me is that Universal Credit increased for a year - where will people be next year with the usual payment for UC and no free school meals in holidays? I think there will be riots when we revert back.

It's always needed, perhaps more than normal now.
Every holiday there are children going hungry because they normally have free school meals and when you take that away there isn't enough money to feed them properly.
The local food bank is normally all but empty half way through August from demand.

I hope this will be something that will be continued in future.

[quote Cutangle]@Sweetlikecoca the children at our school get a full hot meal like usual. Not as many choices as normal.[/quote]
Oh do they. Well they don’t at mine. But maybe it depends on number of children and location.

I agree with @Sweetlikecoca and (scarily) Katie Hopkins.
I don’t want to be feeding other people’s children.
Pandemics aren’t the only reason people lose jobs.

yes summer holiday poverty was a thing before coronavirus and things are much worse this year.

Katie Hopkins who sent up a gofundme when she went insolvent?

I trust that if you fall on hard times LochJess you won't be applying for benefits?

yes that is scary @LochJessMonster . What should those children do? Go hungry maybe?

@HollowTalk

Regardless of any moral judgement on children deserving to be fed, feeding our children well is an investment in our future. Hungry children find it harder to concentrate and learn.

What worries me is that Universal Credit increased for a year - where will people be next year with the usual payment for UC and no free school meals in holidays? I think there will be riots when we revert back.

Exactly. Even businesses that have been effected in such a short amount of space I’m shocked.

October will be the worse when furlough ends.