No free school meals during Feb half term

[noblegiraffe]

The new guidance on free school meals says that schools should not provide food or vouchers during Feb half term.

This won’t be needed as some general funding is going to LAs and they will be expected to provide food/support for the week schools are off.

This is bonkers, right? They’ve only just sorted it so that kids get more than a manky banana, cheese and dry bread for lunch and they’re going to switch to a different system for a week?

Does this government just really hate feeding hungry kids?

YANBU: sticking with one system for feeding disadvantaged kids would be best

YABU: it’ll be fine, no one will fall through the cracks and the transition will be seamless.

. I would like to see kids, maybe, go into school to eat lunch, or ready-made lunches provided in containers

Are school staff not allowed any time off then?

I am in my late fifties. I got free school meals and the local authority provided free school meals during the holidays as well. It was recognised then that it was necessary.

@PerseverancePays, £81 a week for a single adult is a real struggle. But if that adult has children, their income increases quite significantly.

Single adult £324 pm, two children, approx £500 pm, plus child benefit, another £150 pm. Just under £1k per month. Not forgetting those with a responsible NR parent providing child maintenance. If in appropriate social housing, rent is covered, with just a small amount to pay for council tax.

On top there are free school meals, free prescriptions, winter fuel allowance and cold weather payments. With sensible choices, its manageable. Obviously if someone is living in private rented housing they are more likely to be impacted financially, and another of the biggest drains on poor households is expensive debt.

I’m retired, but worked in social housing. We had advisors who would ensure families got the right benefits, introduced them to credit unions, offered debt and budgeting support. It’s tragic seeing children suffer because of adult choices. I’d rather see direct help, like lunch clubs at their schools than extra money. At least then the children are seen to be fed.

Due to the economies of scale, I think it is much more efficient and cheap for big organisations to provide the veg, the fruit and the salad, than it is for families to do this

This is more than cancelled out by having to pay school cooks to produce school lunches. The cost of a school lunch is over £2 for families who pay. Making a similar quality lunch yourself costs a lot less.

Jesus, all the hysterical, emotive posts 'feed the poor starving children!!'.

Did anyone read the op

'The new guidance on free school meals says that schools should not provide food or vouchers during Feb half term. This won’t be needed as some general funding is going to LAs and they will be expected to provide food/support for the week schools are off'

They will be fed it just won't be school organising it and why tf should it be, LAs are there to do this.

Lovely to see the benefit bashers out in force. Circumstances chage people...plus...pandemic. Also...it is not cheap to feed a child.
Let them eat cake!

Single adult £324 pm, two children, approx £500 pm, plus child benefit, another £150 pm. Just under £1k per month. Not forgetting those with a responsible NR parent providing child maintenance. If in appropriate social housing, rent is covered, with just a small amount to pay for council tax

Child maintenance is statistically more likely not to be paid than paid. Where it is paid, it is more than likely a token £7 per week. Not everyone is in social housing. Plenty of people are trying to pay mortgages on that income with the added issue of being responsible for maintenance as well.

My food bill is increasing week on week. My;utility company has increased my direct debit by over £50 a month. Petrol is going up every time I go to the pump. I am not on a low income but am beginning to worry - there is not much more cutting back I can do. Thousands of families are worse off than me.

I work in a school and we’ve just had an email to send out from the LA about clubs in the Christmas holidays. Which will provide meals as well as the activity.

We haven’t had confirmation yet if the vouchers will be provided. I live and work in a fairly affluent area so try to remember that I don’t see a true picture of who these vouchers are helping and that just because the couple of parents that ring asking when they are getting the vouchers (we are told by the LA the date that we can email them on) are the ones with teenagers in branded clothing and taking kids out of school for holidays abroad.
Those I’m sure are in very small numbers compared to those who need them.

Holiday clubs in schools would be expensive to run though. School staff don’t get paid in the holidays so the increase in wages to pay for staff to cook and serve probably outweighs sending vouchers. Also the value of the voucher is higher than the costs given to the school for each child on fsm.

ZOMBIE THREAD people. This is about last February's half term, not next

This thread is from Jan 21 when we were in lockdown!

Jesus, all the hysterical, emotive posts 'feed the poor starving children!!'. Did anyone read the op

Yes. And I read that it is referring to last February's half term from last January when we were in lockdown

@Seymour5

Single adult £324 pm, two children, approx £500 pm, plus child benefit, another £150 pm. Just under £1k per month. Not forgetting those with a responsible NR parent providing child maintenance. If in appropriate social housing, rent is covered, with just a small amount to pay for council tax.

I thought this too. How can they struggle to feed their dc? There are many working low income families that earn less than many families on full benefits. These working families don’t get any freebies or discounted rent.

@Seymour5

I provide budgeting support and debt counselling to those in need through work - the main themes as to why people don't have sufficient money are benefit delays, debts (preexisting, irresponsible lending eg pay weekly companies and debt due to benefit delays) and a lack of understanding of budgeting for the money. We do have a significant proportion who do not prioritise the essentials but the root problem is still generally debt.

If you do not have debts and live in a council property with no additional bedroom tax then you can live on the benefits, but you probably can't run a car, go on holiday, eat take aways or buy alcohol/cigarettes etc it's literally enough for food, heat and bare essentials for clothes etc eg charity shops or primark maybe. It's tough but I know people who do live long term on benefits, they do get pip in addition though and thus motorbility for their car. They are a scant safety net and without discipline debts are easy to rack up

@gogohm If you do not have debts and live in a council property with no additional bedroom tax then you can live on the benefits, but you probably can't run a car, go on holiday, eat take aways or buy alcohol/cigarettes etc it's literally enough for food, heat and bare essentials for clothes etc

I was brought up by very young working class parents. Despite working, we very rarely went on holiday (I went abroad twice as a child). My parents prioritised the mortgage, bills, food, clothes and shoes etc. Many working people don’t earn £1k a month, and many families on benefits do. You’re right. It’s about learning how to budget and prioritise.

@fournonblondes

Message deleted by MNHQ.

Plenty of our own here who expect the same and keep demanding more. Personal responsibility is a thing of the past for some it seems.

The benefit system is already pretty generous if you have kids and ultimately if you choose to have them they are your responsibility. They are bloody expensive, it amazes me that people are surprised at this and think they can afford 4 or 5 or more. Then you have to think about what you’d do if your circumstances change and make sure you either have a contingency for this, or can afford basics on one salary.

Then there are people who can’t work apparently but manage to pop out kids pretty easily. Some families where whole generations have never worked. The whole system needs an overhaul.

I do think that childcare needs to be more easily accessible, and agree with a living wage, but disagree with just giving more and more handouts. It just encourages dependence.

More help needs to be provided for people as a short term measure in the event of job loss or ill health while they get back on their feet, not as a lifestyle choice.

Not forgetting those with a responsible NR parent providing child maintenance. If in appropriate social housing, rent is covered, with just a small amount to pay for council tax.

Maintenance isn't included as income for universal credit because the government know that it often isn't paid. The "If" here is doing an awful lot of heavy lifting. Social housing is extremely limited and in many areas those who rent or have a mortgage you won't be considered for it unless they have been evicted by court.

These working families don’t get any freebies or discounted rent.

Approximately 40% of universal credit claimants are in work. So many low income families to indeed get help with paying bills.

@edwinbear

I don't think anyone thinks children should go hungry, of course not, but the primary responsibility to ensure children aren't going hungry is with the parents, not the state. The cost of 5 lunches over half term is minimal, especially compared to the admin needed to provide those. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect parents to provide lunch for their children for 5 says, no.

It will still be very cold in Feb;

🍏The cost of gas/electric is exorbitant
🍏Council tax is exorbitant
🍏Private rents are ridiculous
🍏It’s been established on many other Mumsnet threads that people can’t afford the cost of running their oven/stove in order to heat any food
🍏It’s also been established that families can only get food bank access four times a year with a referral
🍏Benefits aren’t enough to live on after paying bills

People saying let parents sort it out themselves remind me of Ebenezer Scrooge

“Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,” returned the gentleman, “a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?”

“Nothing!” Scrooge replied.

“You wish to be anonymous?”

“I wish to be left alone,” said Scrooge. “Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don’t make merry myself at Christmas and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.”

“Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.”

“If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”

• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Perhaps there needs to be a change in the name of the benefit.

It’s not really free school meals, when 13 weeks a year aren’t at school, if it’s a policy to provide a free meal a day to children.

It’s just free meals isnt it.

The thing is, providing meals for an extra 13 weeks costs lots of money. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be provided, but going from providing meals for 39 weeks to 52 weeks is a big jump in costs. The government haven’t fully committed to doing that as a permanent thing. Whether they will is the key question. Then this whole thing about whether kids are in/out of school can stop being discussed.

Personally, I’d rather axe free lunches for all infants and instead use that cash to pay for 52 weeks of lunches for children who meet means tested criteria and really need it. If that benefit has already been means treated, the costly admin has already been done in determining who qualifies. Lots of money goes on feeding kids whose families can easily afford lunches for 39 weeks…yes it’s lovely not to have to pay the £12 per week, but that could be funding someone who actually needs it .

However, decisions haven’t been made yet about permanenly giving 52 weeks of meals. That’s what needs deciding…yes or no.

I don’t understand the need for FSM for all in KS1. We are not in a deprived area and you can’t move for Range Rovers and Mercs at picking up time. Maybe stop the fsm for thise who don’t need them and divert the savings?

The whole FSM system needs an overhaul. They need to stop people being able to still claim when their income goes up, stop claims through tax credits that are at a much higher income level and target more help at those who really need it. I’d far rather they just increased child benefit or similar. Let people decide how to spend the money. If they’re saying some people do actually have the money but don’t have the skills or choose to spend it on something else that is another issue which needs to be addressed really.

[quote MangoIce]@Seymour5

Single adult £324 pm, two children, approx £500 pm, plus child benefit, another £150 pm. Just under £1k per month. Not forgetting those with a responsible NR parent providing child maintenance. If in appropriate social housing, rent is covered, with just a small amount to pay for council tax.

I thought this too. How can they struggle to feed their dc? There are many working low income families that earn less than many families on full benefits. These working families don’t get any freebies or discounted rent.[/quote]
I'm a low income working single mum and I get tax credits. I have a mortgage but when I rented I did get help with housing costs so you're wrong on that count. I am miles better off financially than I was unemployed on full benefits. When you have school age children you are never better off on benefits than working. And DS does not get free school meals.

@IndecentFeminist

It's difficult, many families who could really do with it right now are the ones whose income has been drastically effected due to work changes in covid, but may not have been claiming FSM.

I know in our school, a lot of those claiming FSm haven't had their income effected as they were on benefits which have stayed the same throughout.

So a lot of people will slip through the net, and a lot with unchanged circumstances won't.

The people who were on benefits were presumably struggling before covid, did their kids just go hungry? Did the parents so they could feed them.

@fournonblondes

* Appears to whom, exactly? To the people who do not fall for this BS anymore.

Which certain type of immigrants, exactly?*

The ones coming here just because there a free handouts. Even though they have arrived to safe countries before coming to England.

Immigrants are not entitled to benefits.

The ones coming here just because there a free handouts. Even though they have arrived to safe countries before coming to England.
Christ. Do people still really trot out this bullshit? I thought people on this site were generally educated individuals?