No more free school meal vouchers?

[dottydotterson]

What do you think of the governments decision to end the free school meal vouchers for the summer? Do you agree or not?

@peppapigisscottish it's not wrong, the criteria specifically says you only get them if you receive child tax credits only. You don't get them if you receive working tax credits. Do you receive any other benefits that mean you qualify?

I definitely got FSM whilst getting WTC. This was up until March of this year.

Yes because of the current UC changes everyone keeps fsm even if their circumstances change. You would not have been claiming wtc when you applied.

@peppapigisscottish yes because of the UC issue they kept claimants on fsm even when they no longer qualified.

The reason some wtc claimants currently receive fsm is because UC claimants were all at one point entitled to fsm regardless of income and then it was changed to a very low threshold much lower than on ctc. The continuation of fsm was really fought for by campaigners.
In March 2022 children will only receive fsm until they finished their current school stage either primary or secondary. New claims from March 2022 will loose fsm if circumstances change.

Any child of a Universal Credit claimant, who was getting free school meals as at 1 April 2018 under the old criteria (no income threshold), or makes a successful new claim after 1 April 2018 under the new criteria (with the income threshold) will keep their free school meals until March 2022, even if the household’s income rises above the income threshold - as long as they remain on Universal Credit.

At March 2022 if the pupil is still at school they will keep their free school meals until they move to the next phase of education (primary or secondary).

Because of the changes it means that one child could be entitled to a free school meal and a sibling not entitled. For example, if a Universal Credit claimant with 2 children has net earnings of £10,000 and applied for free school meals for their eldest child in September 2017, the application would have been successful as there was no income threshold. The free school meal for that child is protected. In September 2018 the younger child is not eligible for a free school meal because the household income is over the newly introduced threshold.

The bottom line is benefits should be at such a level vouchers are not needed.

@ToothFairyNemesis makes sense, I'm still on the old style working tax credits and DS doesn't get free school meals.

Sadly some children wont be fed and nourished regardless of how many vouchers the parents are given. It's a very difficult situation when parents are neglectful, very sad for the children.

@Ginandbearit1

Sadly some children wont be fed and nourished regardless of how many vouchers the parents are given. It's a very difficult situation when parents are neglectful, very sad for the children.

@Ginandbearit1 Exactly this! Poverty is obviously a concern and the struggle of our families, but neglect, and the fear that no matter what we give to the parents it won't reach the children, is what keeps me awake at night when they can't come to school for breakfast and lunch!

You would not have been claiming wtc when you applied.

I definitely was.

I was claiming WTC right up until March of this year. Application for FSM was July last year.

@Smallsteps88 you definitely were not , you may have been in receipt of wtc run on which is the same amount of money as wtc so could cause confusion.

I was claiming WTC right up until March of this year. Application for FSM was July last year.
Then there was either fraud or an error.

you definitely were not

I most definitely was. I have been continually in receipt of WTC since November 2015. I have been in receipt of FSM throughout this time. I send my tax credit award off with my FSM application every year.

My friend earns more in benefits than me working full time and she gets FSM and I don’t? Not that I need them but there will be many working parents struggling.

It should be fair for all involved

Then there was either fraud or an error.

This is a photo of the application form for FSM.

Specifically the part regarding working tax credits.

Yes as I said you can claim fsm if you receive the wtc run on.

If they awarded you and you were receiving wtc at the time and you were not closing wtc run on only , then an error was made. You cannot make a new claim for fsm if you receive wtc , that’s never been the case.

It wasnt run on. It was WTC. What would it be run on from?

then an error was made.

Then they made it repeatedly. 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Well yes once you were claiming it why would they check again each year unless you reported a cog.
children are eligible to receive free school meals (FSM) if their parents are in receipt of any of the following benefits:

Income Support
Income-based Job Seekers’ Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit, provided they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). (Where a parent is entitled to Working Tax Credit Run-on – the payment someone receives for a further 4 weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit – their children are entitled to free school lunches. Children who receive a qualifying benefit in their own right are also eligible to receive free school meals.)

@Smallsteps88 a run on from wtc , if you have a job and then have a break in employment you receive wtc run on for four weeks.