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?

For those determined to blame feckless parents, here is the 'loophole' my ex (and thousands more) are taking advantage of, to leave their children hungrier, this summer.

Surely anyone getting free school meals would already be getting tax credits and child benefit? Can these be used to pay towards food?

Not everyone would recieve tax credits.

All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 would usually get a hot meal at School.

I do receive working tax credit because I take home £1200 a month wages for 30 hours as a single parent. (NHS, so not a bad wage for my area)

Because I do receive working tax credit, my DD is not allowed any food vouchers.

Surprise surprise!

Well it's quite clear the pandemic hasn't changed some people's attitudes to those less fortunate than themselves despite all the rhetoric of "we're all in this together". I suppose they'll be even more horrified when the benefits bill shoots up as a result of all the redundancies which are coming.

Why couldn't those feckless people have foreseen this pandemic and made appropriate provision? (Irony obviously!!!)

This a bit of no information on here.

The extra benefit money announced for during the pandemic is for everyone. Whether working or not. I work, and have universal credit and al receiving it. I have a friend who doesn’t work and is on full UC who is also getting it.

FSM is not only for people who don’t get WTC (or the UC equivalent). I work and get UC, so would have been WTC in the old system and am still entitled to FSM. There’s a threshold for earnings.

In all honesty, I am actually a little bit better off now, in terms of money, but like everyone am spending more on food with everyone at home. I have the increase in UC payments which is around £100pm the plus £30pw food vouchers. Whilst it’s nice having them, I’m not gaining from them as such as obviously spending more. But I can understand how it seems unfair that I’m better off when others aren’t helped at all.

I am a lone parent and a low earned though.

Well done Marcus!! Fantastic result- sad it took a footballer to do this.

This year is different, many parents save over the terms to afford the summer holidays, jobs have been lost, food bills have gone up. If we don’t protect children what kind of country are we?!

Imagine when presented with the problem of kids going hungry this summer, your reaction is - too bad.

Mind blown.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

Well done Marcus!! Fantastic result- sad it took a footballer to do this.

This year is different, many parents save over the terms to afford the summer holidays, jobs have been lost, food bills have gone up. If we don’t protect children what kind of country are we?!

Without a doubt food prices have gone up - those on a tight budget must be getting is hard.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

Well done Marcus!! Fantastic result- sad it took a footballer to do this.

This year is different, many parents save over the terms to afford the summer holidays, jobs have been lost, food bills have gone up. If we don’t protect children what kind of country are we?!

Absolutely!

Yeah, the same footballers who Matt Hancock tried to shame over their earnings, the same footballers who between them have donated and organised a mass of help during this pandemic.

Shame that the entitled and privileged government ministers haven't done the same willing and have to be SHAMED into helping the most vulnerable!

I found myself agreeing with bloody Piers Morgan again! Please tell me he has massively shifted!

I feel sorry for people struggling to make ends meet ATM.However surely there must be some sort of benefit avaliable to low income families? Also the Footballers who are trying to get this introduced, must surely be in a position to offer some help as well? The Govt is paying for Furlough of several employees for the last few months ,and we have a large recession looming too!

Great news.
Well done to Marcus.
This is an example of using your position to help others.
He is a credit to his mother

I think you'll find the footballers already have contributed.

Brilliant result!

@Branbleberries

so, where would be the best place to donate to in order to help hungry children in the summer? If there's no foodbank collection at your supermarket, say. Donate money to a local foodbank online? Is there a national scheme that would be better?

Speak to your local foodbank. The two locally here have different needs. One is asking people to buy food and they have a day where a volunteer collects it from doorsteps. The other has requested where possible people donate cash because they are making meals in the church kitchen and distributing meals that just need heated, so they need to buy things specifcally for what they are cooking (they're getting bulk donations from local businesses).

@dottiedodah
They have been providing help
talksport.com/football/685890/footballers-good-deeds-during-coronavirus-pandemic-marcus-rashford-jose-mourinho-neymar/

I did email our Council to see if the 'receiving working tax credit means you are not entitled to vouchers' might be exempt since lockdown.

The email back (from a nice lady) stated that I still cannot receive vouchers for a Year 2 pupil, she sent me a list of food banks in the area.

If DD could have gone to School (I was too unwell with Covid 19) then she would have been given a sandwich, fruit and a biscuit.

Also the Footballers who are trying to get this introduced, must surely be in a position to offer some help as well?

They did and are. As are rugby players etc etc.

It’s just been reversed. Children will now continue to get free school meals throughout the summer holidays.

Well done to Marcus Rashford and all those who argued for the u-turn 👏🏼

@99victoria

When I was a school business manager our local foodbank used to contact us around this time of the year to ask for a list of children who were at risk and they would provide lunches for them during the summer holidays. I seriously doubt whether they would be able to provide for the increasing number who will need them this year

I’ve just been contacted this week by our food bank offering food bags for the summer holidays. We did it at Christmas and in Feb half term and it worked really well.

(Family support worker, not Business Manager).

But in view of the excellent news just in that Doris has done a U-turn, we probably won’t be needing the food bank, so they can support others in food poverty.

3ismylot Sorry didnt see that! Lets hope BJ et al will cough up then!

[quote ToothFairyNemesis]@TheFormerPorpentiaScamander
I also don't see why UC payments were increased during the pandemic as unemployed people living on benefits weren't affected by drop in incomes?
If you had bothered to check you have realised the increase was for e played people only on tax credits , on UC very few unemployed people benefitted due to the benefit cap.[/quote]
If you'd bothered to check you would see that I did NOT say this. I was quoting someone else. Please don't mis-quote me.

Because you replied to my comment - you know Mumsnet sends you an email when someone makes a direct reply....

"SoupDragon Tue 16-Jun-20 13:07:07
Why assume I am only bothered about it now. How stupid. Why assume I was taking about you? How stupid."

Doubly stupid.

Totally agree, it's very sad. I really think some people need to look outside of their bubble at what some have to go through in life.. There will of course be people who suddenly find themselves struggling due to the pandemic and it may help them realise how tough life is for some of the families I work with.

"3ismylot Tue 16-Jun-20 13:21:42
I am so pleased that the government have been shamed into a U-turn and I am very proud that we have people like Marcus Rashford who use their platform in society to fight inequalities like this.
Some of the attitudes on this thread are disgusting and show a complete and utter lack of empathy and understanding that not everyone lives the same kind of life angry they also seem to forget that the children are NEVER to blame in these circumstances and should NOT be punished."

Orangeblossom78
They have increased benefits about £100 a month too for the rest of the year

No they have not increased benefits by 100 per month. They have increased one benefit ie UC by £80 per month but subject to the benefit cap so many will not receive the extra. Also this does not apply to those on other types of benefit.