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.

Even before C19 there had already been a rise in child poverty and i believe one of the main groups to use food banks were single mums. I've seen teachers on here say they worry about kids going hungry in the holidays, so I'm glad they'll get these vouchers.

@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)

I’m also a band 5 so I agree the money isn’t great but I also don’t think people on benefits get £22500 a year in benefits, which is what they would get if you only got £200 pcm more as a full time band 5 (and that is basic rate)

I’m very glad this is happening and I wish it was already the standard norm. I would a thousand times rather my tax was spent on feeding hungry children than an awful lot of the things that our shit show of a government see fit to spend it on. Even if it were the parents’ fault they couldn’t feed the kids (not that I think it is in most cases) the children don’t deserve to go to bed hungry. The though that this is the reality for so many families in our rich developed country honestly makes me want to weep.

I think there are some that absolutely need it, and worry that of that some a percentage of the kids won’t actually see the benefits of the voucher, it’ll be used by parents to buy whatever.

I’m terrified about the amount of debt yay the country is running up due to this pandemic. And whilst £15m is a drop in the ocean compared to the overall cost, it’s still another £15m that we don’t have, that had to come from somewhere.

Whilst the attention to this problem that MR has generated is great, if he’d felt that strongly he could have funded himself... or with his footballer pals. It’s probably no more than a few weeks wages to them

I would hope that I have put enough savings aside to allow me to feed the children I chose to have.

Parents already get CM, if they have lost their jobs they would be entitled to other benefits. They don’t need another one specifically for feeding children they are suppose to be responsible for.

My children are not entitled to free school meals but our council have been offering a free packed lunch for every child who needs it. We've been collecting those as it means less trips to the supermarket to top up and it saves us money. Dp working 12hr shifts in the NHS and I can't take young dc to the supermarket really limits when I can go to buy food.

My food bill has also gone up by around £30 per week due to children being at home fulltime and having to shop differently (no multi buy offers and no going to different shops to get things cheaper).

The school meals have been a real help for us. Saying that, if the were not available my children would not go hungry, there would just be cut backs elsewhere in the household e.g. My son needed new shoes, he would have had to wait longer for those and I was able to buy some school workbooks. But for those truly struggling I can see how it would be a relief to not have to think about buying extra lunches.

For the summer they are switching to a payment for free school meals which we won't get and we will definitely miss the takeaway packed lunches.

Very very pleased this is happening.

I get the vouchers. my kids wouldn't go hungry without them but it does help out alot an means they are getting alot more fresh fruit an veg In their diets than they normally would.

Marcus Rashford has donated to Fareshare. Twice.

I wonder if any of our wealthier MP's or business people have.

@Lochjessmonster - many families have no savings and do you think benefits are sufficient to support a family? I suggest you volunteer at your local foodbank to see what is happening in the real world.

My kids are not entitled to FSM but I fully support this change. I can’t believe how much more we have spent on food during lockdown. Rising prices and bored kids stuck indoors who just want to eat all day plus a husband wfh who does the same has meant my food bill has gone up by about 50%. Thankfully we are able to afford this and have saved money elsewhere by not going out etc but I can definitely see why many families will really need this extra help. It seems crazy to me that these vouchers are not normally provided during holiday periods. I hope that this is a permanent change and not just a one off due to Corona.

The cost of food has skyrocketed recently so instead of calculating an increased amount for term time it's probably easiest to continue the scheme during the summer.

I am shocked that people begrudge free meals for children who need them. How can that view be justified.

Maybe we should open some workhouses?! That will teach the poor to breed (!)

I wish FSM were available when I was a child. They are, sadly, absolutely necessary and absolutely make a difference to many. My mother was a hard worker and always employed; but there simply wasn't enough money to go around. I remember that for years she went without so that I never went hungry. She never ate breakfast and, if she ate lunch, it was half a cracker with a smear of butter. She ate a toddler-sized portion (when we had the food) for dinner. She was literally skin and bones. Many others find themselves in this situation today. With the best will in the world, unless you're in need, starvation remains a rather abstract concept.

Thank you Marcus. You obviously have no respect for nurses (and many other key workers on similar wages) oh do get over yourself. He hasn't done this to stick two fingers up to people in employment don't qualify, but because he knows what it's like growing up poor and hungry.
If you don't want to work for just £80 a month extra then don't, that's your choice to make for your family but not every decision in the world is a reflection on how people see you.

Is the issue that these are universal for all infant school children, rather than means tested? I don’t think anyone begrudges means tested vouchers, but to agree to provide these to all infant school children, regardless of income over the summer holidays, is a kick in the teeth to those that have to feed other children as we all have to do it.

Kids shouldn’t be going hungry if the govt can afford to give tax breaks to the super rich and massive corporations they can certainly find the money to keep kids from starving for a few weeks

@LochJessMonster

I would hope that I have put enough savings aside to allow me to feed the children I chose to have.

Parents already get CM, if they have lost their jobs they would be entitled to other benefits. They don’t need another one specifically for feeding children they are suppose to be responsible for.

And yet the provision of free school meals for all early years suggests the is a need

What I don’t get about everyone saying it’s the parents fault if they can’t afford to feed their kids... so what if it is? Even if they’ve spent all their money on booze and fags, the result is still a hungry kid. Surely you don’t begrudge that hungry kid a meal?

@Lovelydovey - it’s for children who are entitled to free school meals. Means tested.

Well I've heard it all now. Taking it as a personal attack because children get to eat? Whether the parents could work or not doesn't matter does it? It's not the kids fault. Give them the vouchers if they are eligible. I for one would rather be a bit poorer than think of children starving. And yes if that means I'm worse off for working, fine, I consider myself fucking privileged that my children don't have to wonder where the next meal will come from.
Stop being so fucking selfish.

In our area, once you qualify for FSM you remain eligle until the child leaves school. So we were previously entitled to them when in a lower income and despite no longer being in the group that qualifies, we still get them. It has been hugely helpful during this time as food costs have gone up and DCs seem to be eating more. We could manage without them, but I've been using them to buy more expensive items like fruit juice and more fruit than we would normally buy.

It isn't 'fair' that we get this help, when others who need it more do not. However that doesn't mean everyone should miss out just because the system is badly designed (as is the whole benefits system!).

I'd rather my taxes went on this (yes, I pay more tax than I get back in FSM) than Trident or Brexit...

God I can't believe there are people here arguing against feeding children who live in poverty. Think what you like about their parents (although you're most likely totally wrong), are people honestly saying children deserve to go hungry?!

I despair.

To the poster who said those attending school only have sandwiches - that's simply not true. We are offering hot meals every day. Tomorrow it's a roast!

@Lovelydovey

Is the issue that these are universal for all infant school children, rather than means tested? I don’t think anyone begrudges means tested vouchers, but to agree to provide these to all infant school children, regardless of income over the summer holidays, is a kick in the teeth to those that have to feed other children as we all have to do it.

I'm not aware it includes all infant school pupils, it hasn't up to now. It's only been those entitled to FSM which I think is households earning under 16k.