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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Free school meals

140 replies

Blackteadrinker77 · 14/03/2018 09:59

AIBU to be disgusted that our government has voted to effectively take 1 million children's free school meals away?

www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-network/2018/mar/13/one-million-children-hungry-new-plans-free-school-meals

OP posts:
Samcro · 14/03/2018 10:19

i don't agree with free school meals for all.....but the thresh hold seems very low.

Lifeisabeach09 · 14/03/2018 10:23

It's insane but unsurprising of this current government.
The poor, yet again, being penalised.

Original poster
Blackteadrinker77 · 14/03/2018 10:37

i don't agree with free school meals for all

I think there should be a taper. Start at free then if you earn over 12k a year start to taper off to the full price.

7k is just madness to me and may literally mean children in this country going hungry.

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 14/03/2018 10:42

I never agreed with universal fsm. Always thought that the threshold should he increased to be more inclusive of those who need them and that instead of being available to all should he better quality and more substantial for the ones who need it instead.

Now all that has happened is that people who wouldnt have qualified originally have budgeted their lives without having to factor in that meal and in many instances the quality got poorer. Again screwing over those who would really need it.

Deshasafraisy · 14/03/2018 10:46

Whilst they increase their own salaries ....

www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2018/03/mps-get-18-pay-rise

cucaracha · 14/03/2018 10:47

Of course it should be available to all, and the quality should be better!
Why always reserve something for a certain category? If kids go to state school, they should all be treated the same. Fine if some parents don't want to pay for extra, like school trips and sport, but this is going backward.

By only giving free benefits like the school meal to a certain category, you push people not to work! At least if all the kids have the same free meals, the working parents can see some kind of help, it's not always the same who get everything

Gileswithachainsaw · 14/03/2018 10:48

Sorry what i meant about budgeting their lives is that those on low incomes who earned too much to qualify were abke to budget accordingly and are going to be hit hard with losing them

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 14/03/2018 10:54

That's appalling. I get FSM for DS2 as he's in yr2, I have to pay for DD in yr5's lunch as, apparently, our WTC is supposed to cover it. It doesn't. Next year I'll have to find £18 a week from the same amount of money. Their school has compulsory school meals before anyone suggests giving them packed lunches.

Original poster
Blackteadrinker77 · 14/03/2018 10:55

I'm not against free for all, it could help break the stigma attached as well.

I fear that stigma will be worse now it is just what I see as destitute who will qualify.

Whilst they increase their own salaries

It really disgusts me. I don't think they see the impact they have. If they had to walk in to a school and remove a plate of food from in front of the child would they still have voted that way? That is what they are doing.

OP posts:
UpstartCrow · 14/03/2018 10:58

Yanbu, the numbers of children being taken into care are at record levels, and its because of austerity measures such as this.

This govt is so disruptive and divisive, I have to wonder what the agenda is.

LeighaJ · 14/03/2018 11:05

I regularly went without lunch growing up because we were poor and the US government didn't have a program like this for lunches. Makes me sad to see the UK government taking a big step backwards in helping kids.

Original poster
Blackteadrinker77 · 14/03/2018 11:09

Next year I'll have to find £18 a week

They won't care or even think about that reality. It's disgusting.

OP posts:
Stickerrocks · 14/03/2018 11:10

The infant school free meals for all policy is absolutely wrong, as those of us who can afford to pay should provide lunch for our children each day. It would be far better to scrap this policy and maintain the FSM for those in genuine need.

steff13 · 14/03/2018 11:13

I regularly went without lunch growing up because we were poor and the US government didn't have a program like this for lunches.

Really? I'm in the US, and the schools I attended always offered free/reduced lunches. They still do at my kids' schools.

cucaracha · 14/03/2018 11:15

hold on, why shouldn't everybody be entitled to the same thing? It cost everybody the same to feed our children, why should some have it free but the rest have to pay?

of course, some categories do deserve some help, it's not a family's fault if the parent died, but that's not what it's about here.

bowieforever · 14/03/2018 11:17

OP thank you for highlighting this - absolutely disgusting. Appalling.

Just so appalling.

All part of the penalising of the poor and hurting children.

Marmite27 · 14/03/2018 11:18

Reading the article it suggests the universal free school meals for reception, year 1 and 2 would continue, it’s the eligibility for older children that would change.

Gileswithachainsaw · 14/03/2018 11:18

Because not all companies can cope with the increased demand. So instead of being able to choose where to source the ingredients or choose who to hire to bring in the food, there suddenly become limits on who can be chosen based on their ability to cope with numbers. Also sometimes jeans a trade off with the quality of ingredients.

Parents who cab afford to feed their children should. Then maybe the ones who can't afford to won't be stuck with crap they call food.

Marmite27 · 14/03/2018 11:19

.

Free school meals
Stickerrocks · 14/03/2018 11:20

The rest should pay because there are limited resources and the funds should be directed at those in genuine need, rather than giving children from middle class families with six figure household incomes a free lunch. I would happily argue exactly the same thing for free bus passes, winter fuel allowances and TV licences for the elderly.

Original poster
Blackteadrinker77 · 14/03/2018 11:20

Evaluation of a free school meals pilot for primary school children over two years in Hull found a “significant impact in all areas of children's schooling...behaviour, social relationships, health and learning”,[vii] whilst more recent evaluation of the provision of free school meals to all primary pupils in Durham and Newham found that “offering free school meals to all primary school pupils increased attainment in disadvantaged areas.”[viii]

www.cpag.org.uk/scotland/school-meals

Research is showing that it has many benefits.

I don't feel very strongly that all should get it free but to remove it from people who don't even earn as much as the NLW full time amount is terrible.

OP posts:
PlowerOfScotland · 14/03/2018 11:20

Didn't they keep them free in Northern Ireland to get the DUP to vote it through? Sure I read that this morning.

ChelleDawg2020 · 14/03/2018 11:20

I don't think they raise their salaries any more. They gave the power to an independent body, who raise it for them.

MyDcAreMarvel · 14/03/2018 11:23

Their school has compulsory school meals before anyone suggests giving them packed lunches.
Perfectly symmetrical the school cannot legally enforce this.