Re: free school meal vouchers

[Hadenoughofitall441]

My mum works in a local supermarket, she told me today that at least 6 of the kids parents from dd 7 and DS 12 school came in to use them but spent them on alcohol. Now let me know if I’m being unreasonable but I find this totally out of order. She said it’s been happening last week aswell.
She said the cards have the kids names on so she knew what they were. She too is disgusted by this but obviously can’t say anything because it’s at work. One of the other customers said he thought it was wrong too.

Oh go away

Yeah I struggle to believe that, sorry.

She’s too disgusted! Is she against alcohol? Must be a pain when she works in a supermarket.

We get these vouchers and they’re honestly such a help to us at this moment, I’ve only used them for food, wouldn’t dream of using them for anything else!

Nope maybe one but not that many

I don't have one but I thought they said on them that they can't be used for cigarettes or alcohol?

I worked in a supermarket where people used the value of their fresh fruit/veg/milk vouchers to buy scratch cards with their shopping!

I get these vouchers...today I used them for a variety of necessities plus cat food and a bottle of wine. You see, I stocked up on plenty of food for the children in the last few weeks. Before I knew I was getting tee vouchers. They will now provide a nice little bumper that can help with the odd luxury (wine etc) and the extras I didn’t account t for such as paper for printing, craft stuff, lined notebooks, folders, plastic wallets, dividers, printer ink!

I would have thought that they wouldn,t be able to use on fags and alcohol so why is the shop excepting them? Something rings untrue.

This is what our ones say.

Due to then speed in which the scheme has been set up, they are regular supermarket vouchers, not specific for FSM. Therefore, the spending isn’t ring-fenced, and parents can spend the vouchers on anything they like.

I would have assumed that a system would be put in place so that these can only be spent on food...

None of your business, and your mother shouldn't be talking about people's personal circumstances to you.

How the hell does your mother know at least 6 parents from your kids' schools? Especially secondary? My mum doesn't even know my friends' parents let alone my children's friends' parents

Pretty poor form for your mum to be identifying her customers and their purchases to you.

OP, do you think that these parents are just buying alcohol and not feeding their kids at lunch time? Or maybe they're buying dinners with cash somewhere cheaper than Tesco?

I got Asda vouchers when I buy my shopping in Morrison’s and m&s. I did ask for Morrison’s ones. I’ll end up spending them on clothes or something as I’ve bought food elsewhere.

I can definitely see where you’re coming from, but I think they’re fine to spend as they see fit. I disagree with the other vouchers some people get for healthy food to be spent in that way, but I think they’re restricted now?

You can use them to buy booze? NOW I'm jealous my children aren't entitled to FSM.

Oh and btw ours is paid directly into our bank accounts so you’d never know if we were spending the whole lot on booze, lube and cucumbers.

Alcohol is pretty essential at the moment tbh

And the healthy start vouchers can't be use on scratch cards so that is bull too

As someone who doesn't receive them even though DC1 has free school meals it is pretty disappointing to think people could be spending them on other things. However I would be inclined to believe that most people have perhaps already brought school lunch food before the vouchers came into play or are buying them elsewhere.

Alcohol is never essential. Duh.

Our schools are currently making up food hampers rather than using the voucher scheme