Have you had aldi vouchers over lockdown from school?

[bingowingsmcgee]

... If your child is in one of the statutory free school meals year groups? Our school has hand delivered all the aldi vouchers to each child in the affected year groups in lieu of those children obviously not having their free lunches in school. But my friend's school haven't given any of the children aldi vouchers. I am wondering why, because both schools are in fairly deprived areas and don't the government give those vouchers to every child in the affected year groups nationwide?

My dd gets free school vouchers. I got emailed the details and then could pick from a list of shops to use the vouchers. Lady in local paper said she was only offered Waitrose vouchers in the scheme but she’s often in the paper moaning about this that or the other, so I think she was telling a whopper.

Thanks, my understanding was that the vouchers were for every single child in the year groups who would have received them at school, regardless of benefits, income etc. Is that your understanding too?

There is a difference between those children who are entitled to free school meals because of their parents income and children in years R, 1 and 2 who all get them free. I believe those children who would be on free school meals regardless of year group would get the vouchers.
Sometimes apparently the problem is because all Reception children get free meals when they start school parents whose income means their children would be on FSM don't actually apply for it. They don't realise they have too because all the children get it. This has meant that with schools closing they have missed out on the vouchers.

@bingowingsmcgee

Thanks, my understanding was that the vouchers were for every single child in the year groups who would have received them at school, regardless of benefits, income etc. Is that your understanding too?

This isn't the case I'm afraid. The entitlement to free school meals isn't the same as being entitled to FSM due to low income.

The voucher scheme is for those who get school dinners due to low income not because they are in the qualifying year group for free school dinners.

@AllsortsofAwkward

The voucher scheme is for those who get school dinners due to low income not because they are in the qualifying year group for free school dinners.

^ This. We've had the vouchers since the end of March, first ones arranged by the school and latterly the government ones. We just got the last batch of vouchers to go up to when school reopens in September as they will have a catering service then.

Universal fsm is for all key stage 1 children. It's not the same as the income based fsm.

Income based fsm kids got vouchers through the lockdown and holidays but universal free school kids didn't.

I've seen a lot of confusion over it on various forums and SM.

We got fsm vouchers and were able to pick from a range of supermarkets. We chose Tesco’s as that is where we normally shop. The only frustrating thing about the vouchers is that they cannot be used online. You have to shop in store only.

@teenmumandsowhat

We got fsm vouchers and were able to pick from a range of supermarkets. We chose Tesco’s as that is where we normally shop. The only frustrating thing about the vouchers is that they cannot be used online. You have to shop in store only.

Yes, we fell foul of that in the early days as we picked Sainsburys only to find that they are not accepted online or in Sainsburys local stores (we are very rural so only have a local store), we ended up with ASDA where we never shop as it's 15 miles away but they deliver to us and accept the online vouchers. We've also got some Morrisons paper vouchers from before the government scheme started which we haven't used yet as we had to self isolate for two different periods firstly due to me being exposed to twice the virus at work and another time DC having symptoms so had to shop online not in store and so paid from my bank. Still we've got those vouchers saved up and will use them when we go in store at some point.

Ah thanks for the clarification folks.