AIBU - free school meals application against my wishes.

[GlitterSand]

Two years ago I became eligible to claim free school meals,
I do not need the assistance so declined the offer.
The local council sent me a silly amount of letters about being entitled to claim, I phoned them and asked them to stop, explained that I didn't need to claim and asked them to make a note on my 'file' not to contact me again.
However, within a few months it started again I ignored them until I received a letter that basically said 'you are entitled to claim this so we are going to put in a claim on your behalf'
This annoyed me and I sent them a letter telling them that I do not give them permission to ever make a claim for FSMs on my behalf, that I wanted it marked on my file that I never want a claim for FSMs to be made in my name.
Someone from the council called me and apologised he said he made a note on my file and I would not be contacted again.

My DC has just started secondary school and for the second day in a row, his student account was not charged for the meal he had.
I just called the school and they have told me that his account has not been charged because he is in receipt of FSM, I told her this is a mistake and she is going to look into it and call me back.

I'm currently on hold to the council.

I'm so angry, how dare they put in a claim without my knowledge or permission and against my explicit request not to.
AIBU to be so annoyed?

I'm just posting to vent really, to try to calm down before I speak to anyone, but I'm just so angry that they can go against my wishes and put in a claim for a benefit that I do not want.

Winterbella you're talking bollocks here -

which by the way you should also be including maintenance amounts too as its not just about your earnings is also about household income of which the maintenance counts and should be declared.

Maintenance doesn't count in benefit calculations. You declare it but it isn't factored in to income.

My children receive FSM and I have never signed a form to apply or provided my NI number - I receive UC and the council get a notification from them, which states their eligibility. I then received a letter from the LA to state that my children were eligible and school would be notified.

Well yes, by proxy.

It's government funding. Which the school needs. Sheesh

We pay dinner money directly to the school office; why would the teachers get involved?

I've always taken money for dinners and trips. Pretty standard in all the schools I've taught in.

all primary children get FSM anyway

Not in Wales they don't.

Have you had a response from the council?

It is probably cheaper for the system for you to claim them and the donate the money elsewhere - perhaps the local food bank?

I get why you are angry it really is concerning that your request/confidentiality has been ignored.

I'm also not happy with my DC being labeled as a FSM recipient when we can more than afford to pay for school lunches ourselves

Why? Is there something to be be ashamed of in being a FSM recipient?

Sounds like snobbery TBH.

I just double checked the entitlement when you mentioned paying loads of tax and only getting a small amount of tax credit (just in case I may be eligible too!) But the earning limit is £16,190.00 so now I'm really confused

Nyn
Cool. But its allocated per child of a parent of benefits. Which people on here are arguing benefits all children.
So all the criticisers, tell your working husbands to leave, make yourselves liw earners or unemployed, tell the school when you get on said benefits and hey ho your childrens' schools will be thriving. Whats stopping you? It will benefit the whole school. Fuck your privacy, dignity and agency. You arent allowed those when youre poor.

If you dont apply for fsm even though entitled, even after reading this thread then youre pretty stupid and selfish

If I were you, this is what I would do:

1. Refuse the FSM / PP payment.

1. Make an annual donation to the school fund of exactly the difference between the standard allocation and the PP allocation.

1. Continue to support the school with all the other PTA / school fete / raffle ticket etc etc donations you typically make.

That way you aren’t claiming something you have issue with and the school aren’t missing out in any way either.

I don’t blame the school / council if they have tried to claim without consent though. It affects all sorts of calculations that are made about the school, not just funding, and it frustrates the hell out of schools when entitled families don’t claim. They are very likely on their absolute arse and desperate for the money.

If
Not snobbery mate. Just wanting to have control.
On MN people are jealous to death of people in council houses and on benefits. It smacks out of every post.
Yet they sit in their positions of advantage lording over everyone else. Its not the OP who is a snob.

No, the comment Op made wasn’t about having control. It was specifically about her DC being “labelled”.

Mate

After reading your further updates, you don't sound like you're telling the whole truth. You pay loads of tax on what is essentially a low wage? Something's not right with this

Eff
There is so much wrong with that post i dont know where to start

YOU fund it if its so important to you
Bran
If you dont understand after reading this thread why she doesnt want to then it is YOU who is stupid

Labelled then. Her kids dont have to be earmarked as the poor social problems you know

So OP, you must be claiming something that entitles you to the FSM. The simple solution is to stop claiming it. Job done.

Meanwhile, in the real world, you are being ridiculous.

Poor social problems. Yep. That’s exactly what OP thinks of FSM recipients. Spot on. Like I said, snobbery.

If
Er..like embarrassment
Hth

If you dont apply for fsm even though entitled, even after reading this thread then youre pretty stupid and selfish

Really don't think it's the OP who is being stupid here.

Actually by this premise FSM parents should actively avoid work as theyd be letting the school down. Must remember to let the jobcentre know.

Suspect this boils down to OP wanting to collect her medal for never claiming benefits “even though I could have like all the rest”

Can’t do that anymore OP

Think of it this way op. Hers parents who don't give a crap about their kids and can't even be bother to claim fsm and child.goes hungry as they dont give them money either so school should be able claim on child behalf without parent input imo.

If your that bothered donate the money each month to the school

I Erm...you might want to check eligibility for FSM but I am pretty sure on £20 a month Tax Credit you are not actually eligible. It might, however,have something to do with your self employment and how you pay tax. I work full time and receive a half decent wage and more TV than you and am certainly not eligible!

Er..like embarrassment

Yes, born out of thinking there is something to be embarrassed about in receiving FSM. That’s snobbery.