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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed by this or am I benefit bashing/

217 replies

Streakywindows · 14/01/2011 10:48

DS was given a letter from school saying he could claim up to 250.00 for a number of things including a cineworld pass,ice skating,football,swimming and various other stuff. He could also get free equipment and uniform for his chosen activity.
I thought this was brilliant but then read he can only claim it if he is getting free school meals.
This seems really unfair but I think I might be a bit touchy today as I have told ds he can't go to the cinema with his friends this week as we are really struggling so this may be making me a bit bitter Blush.
DD also can't attend after school dance unless we pay 30.00 each term yet again kids entitled to FSM get to go.
It just all seems very unfair especially as we are about as well off as the average family on benefits after paying rent,ct and travel to work.
I am not suggesting stopping FSM or anything like that just maybe a fairer system.

OP posts:
eaglewings · 14/01/2011 11:35

We were asked to apply for FSM as it was possible we fell into the right bracket, it was well known by the person who asked us to that we worked.

Please check facts about FSM's only being for those who do not work. It is open to more people than claim it as there are myths about who is not eligible.

I am not going to state on here that what they are as I may get it wrong. But I'm 99.9% sure it is not based on whether you work or not.

mutznutz · 14/01/2011 11:36

Carocaro I didn't mention JSA and I don't know how to get a link on here. Rather than commanding me to back up what I'm saying, I suggest you type either 'Home access plan' or 'Free laptops benefits' into Google search.

bubblerock · 14/01/2011 11:36

carocaro - have you been working poor? Only, you say you have worked for 25 yrs paying top tax rate, you have a mortgage etc.. and are now on JSA, I can see that it must be a huge change and I don't think anyone here believes that you are not entitled to help, but when you earn a pittance and see others not trying to work get hand outs (free laptops etc..) then it does get pretty annoying.

Original poster
Streakywindows · 14/01/2011 11:37

I know it is not easy on benefits I have never said that. As for paying my bills! I can just about pay my rent and am seriously behind on council tax.
We are on prepayment meters for gas/electric and it makes me cry sometimes when I realise the bloody gas has gone again.
I am upset that my child is denied the chances children claiming fsm are being offered.
Can you honestly tell me you think it is fair that my child has to be excluded because he dosen't claim FSM?
If it was the other way round people would be going crazy.

OP posts:
theywillgrowup · 14/01/2011 11:38

carocaro it is true if you fitted thr criteria FREE laptops were avaliable

i know we have one

altinkum · 14/01/2011 11:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

eaglewings · 14/01/2011 11:38

Florence - sorry to hear your story, believe what the school told you not another MNer who may be wrong!

We got the same letter and it was the school that encouraged us to reply. We get 2 types of credit, is it WTC and CTC? Because we get both we don't get FSM's.

Hope things work out

Original poster
Streakywindows · 14/01/2011 11:39

The website is called asksid -the scheme is called Countme in.
If you are still insisting I am making it up I will scan the bloody letter in and put it on my profile FFS!

OP posts:
bubblerock · 14/01/2011 11:41

Current free school meals eligibility criteria

From 6 April 2010, children whose parents are in receipt of one of the following:

*
  Income Support
*
  income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
*
  an income-related employment and support allowance
*
  support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
*
  Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income that does not exceed £16,190 as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs* 
*
  the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit

will be entitled to receive free school meals.

bubblerock · 14/01/2011 11:43

So if you are working but not eligible for WFTC (is that under 16hrs?) you can get FSM.

NettleTea · 14/01/2011 11:43

FSM and the other related items are available for people on a range of benefits, so if you work part time (under 16 hours) you will probably get it. As soon as you get Working Tax credit then you are ineligable as it specifies that you can have CTC, earn up to 16,000 but must not be getting WTC.
So anyone who earns less than £16K and works over 16 hours will be the ones to fall foul of this 'working poor' loophole. I am self employed, its been a terible 2 years, Ive earned less than £2,000 and have been reliant on WTC/CTC/CB, but I havent qualified for FSM as I work over 16 hours. Its a bit of a bugbear for me tbh.

TheButterflyEffect · 14/01/2011 11:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheButterflyEffect · 14/01/2011 11:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Streakywindows · 14/01/2011 11:48

I AM NOT OFFENDED OR BOTHERED BY ANYONE CLAIMING BENEFITS -I AM BOTHERED THAT MY CHILD DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS THOSE CHILDREN CLAIMING FREE SCHOOL MEALS.

OP posts:
TotemPole · 14/01/2011 11:48

OP can't you ask the school to pay weekly for the dance? It's only £3 a week.

theywillgrowup · 14/01/2011 11:50

well anyway im sure in the next few years all us feckless parents on huge benefits will be stripped of these schemes,and only the very very basic will be avaliable

should make a few people happy

mutznutz · 14/01/2011 11:50

Butterfly I don't think anyone envies your situation. What the OP is saying is she feels it's unfair that children of working poor parents often get far less opportunities than children of parents on benefits.

The government have spent years trying to close the poverty gap and create a system where opportunities are open to all...yet it seems to favour the children of parents on benefits.

JoanofArgos · 14/01/2011 11:51

Streaky - 'I AM NOT OFFENDED OR BOTHERED BY ANYONE CLAIMING BENEFITS -I AM BOTHERED THAT MY CHILD DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS THOSE CHILDREN CLAIMING FREE SCHOOL MEALS.

Do you really think that's the case? Maybe universities should start having to publish their figure for how many offers they make to sixth formers who aren't on FSM, if it's the case that that is the segment of society that is so disadvantaged? Perhaps we've had it arse about face all these years?

Bollocks.

Original poster
Streakywindows · 14/01/2011 11:53

I give in. Am an evil benefit basher .

OP posts:
TheButterflyEffect · 14/01/2011 11:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

theywillgrowup · 14/01/2011 11:56

believe it or not i can see your point and probably would feel the same in your position BUT to many people think that benefit is so easy to live on (mostly due to the bloody BM)

anyway these threads always go like this,nature of the beast

mutznutz · 14/01/2011 11:56

You may as well give in Streaky I think I've banged my head on the keyboard so many times...trying to make the simple point that opportunities should be within reach of both the working poor and the benefits poor...that I now have QWERTY embedded in my forehead Lol.

JoanofArgos · 14/01/2011 11:57

well, you did ask! Grin

theywillgrowup · 14/01/2011 11:57

meany daily mail,god im useless today

JoanofArgos · 14/01/2011 11:57

mutz.... one of the points that has been made quite a few times is that the working poor and the benefits poor are not mutually exclusive, surely?