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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bloody (not) Free school meals

210 replies

Hazelnutlatteplease · 26/01/2021 07:40

Not redeemable against online shopping!!! and only have a one month expiration. Absolutely useless.

We have almost completely avoided the supermarket in the last year on account of CEV DS. I have a few vouchers from previous lockdown which will make finances easier when we can get back to the supermarket, but these ones bah!

I got so excited when it arrived!! AIBU to try selling them on? Would anyone buy if I explained

OP posts:
yesyoudoknowme · 26/01/2021 07:42

Can you not give them to a friend or neighbour to pick up some bits for you?

SmileyClare · 26/01/2021 07:45

Can you ask a friend or family member to use the voucher and give you the money? You don't need to spend the voucher in person and there's a huge range of supermarkets they can be used in. As long as it's used for groceries, it doesn't matter who uses it.

Just send the link to their phone. It seems a shame to waste £15 a week if you're struggling financially.

MiiToo · 26/01/2021 07:47

I’ve used them online for Asda x

Original poster
Hazelnutlatteplease · 26/01/2021 07:50

I have a surprising number of shielding family members. My sister will get a vaccine in a month of so. No good for now

OP posts:
FunkyMunkey · 26/01/2021 07:50

If you are not even using them (still have some left from previous lockdown) you don't need them, do you?

Original poster
Hazelnutlatteplease · 26/01/2021 07:51

Asda? Cool maybe it's just morrisons that's online only. Anyone know about tesco? I'll try asda

OP posts:
MiiToo · 26/01/2021 07:52

And I’ve just looked and the one I exchanged for tescos last week (which I know is instore only) has an expiry of 5 years. The code has an expiry of one month, but once you exchange it fo rather voucher it lasts for longer.

StarCat2020 · 26/01/2021 07:58

It is utterly disgusting that the Government begrudge CHILDREN £3 a day for lunch.

I cannot understand why the £15 a week wasn't just transferred into the bank accounts of the parents rather than vouchers or food parcels.

I don't want to be cynical but I wonder if the whole farce with the food parcels wasn't intentional to keep certain voters on their side??

I hope I am wrong.

SmileyClare · 26/01/2021 08:10

The government are issuing vouchers to all fsm eligible children. There are lots of options for a parent unable to visit a supermarket; including asking someone else to use it for you, saving the voucher until it's safe to go out or using it online (selected stores check T and Cs online).

FSM is not paid directly into parents accounts because unfortunately some children of parents with unstable chaotic lives would not benefit. A small minority of parents in poverty do not have bank accounts.

There must be someone you can email the voucher to op? Everyone you know isn't shielding surely?

LadyCatStark · 26/01/2021 08:14

Bloody hell, some people are never happy 🙄.

FTMF30 · 26/01/2021 08:17

@StarCat2020

It is utterly disgusting that the Government begrudge CHILDREN £3 a day for lunch.

I cannot understand why the £15 a week wasn't just transferred into the bank accounts of the parents rather than vouchers or food parcels.

I don't want to be cynical but I wonder if the whole farce with the food parcels wasn't intentional to keep certain voters on their side??

I hope I am wrong.

What's wromg with food vouchers which can be used online?
Doublefaced · 26/01/2021 08:21

‘I cannot understand why the £15 a week wasn't just transferred into the bank accounts of the parents rather than vouchers or food parcels.

Then you understand very little about child poverty, chaotic lifestyles, addiction and dependency and vulnerable children, where the parent responsible for feeding the child may not have access to or be allowed access to a bank account.

Clearly not applicable to all children entitled to FSM but a consideration when making decisions on how to best allocate resources.

DoctorHildegardLanstrom · 26/01/2021 08:25

Tesco is instore only, as far I can remember its only Asda thats online, its all in the terms and conditions though.

Calmandmeasured1 · 26/01/2021 08:27

Nothing wrong with a one month expiration. They are in place of free school meals so meant for virtually immediate need anyway. If you have a few left from the previous lockdown then you obviously aren't using them to replace free school lunches for your child. Maybe the criteria for free school lunches needs re-examining.

If you can't use them for on-line supermarket shopping, then surely you should complain to the supermarket(s) about that? Nothing to do with the Govt. It is probably more to do with having to make changes to their software, at their own cost, to only allow them to be accepted if (a long list of) certain products aren't in the shopping basket. They may have to keep adjusting this for additional products they stock.

On another note, it is only the CEV individual who has to shield. Other household members just have to follow the standard lockdown advice so you are making a choice not to visit a supermarket. It isn't a requirement not to. If it was a requirement for non-cev household members to shield as well as the cev I individual, then I assume the Govt would make additional arrangements regarding the free school meal vouchers.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Bluntness100 · 26/01/2021 08:32

cannot understand why the £15 a week wasn't just transferred into the bank accounts of the parents rather than vouchers or food parcels

This can’t be serious. Do you know how many parents will spend it on other things and give the kids fuck all?

Giving parcels isn’t ok because it looks like charity if they need to collect
Vouchers aren’t ok unless it can be used in shops of our choice
Give everyone cash, screw the kids whose parents will let them go hungry.

At least with vouchers of parcels you’ve a small chance they will feed the kids. That chance reduces hugely when you’re handing out cash.

WorraLiberty · 26/01/2021 08:35

cannot understand why the £15 a week wasn't just transferred into the bank accounts of the parents rather than vouchers or food parcels

I don't believe you.

Wishitsnows · 26/01/2021 08:36

If you aren't having to spend the ones from previous lock down luckily you aren't in need. Someone could go to the shop for you but sounds like you will find any reason not to be pleased for the extra money you have been given for your child.

Calmandmeasured1 · 26/01/2021 08:38

Asda? Cool maybe it's just morrisons that's online only. Anyone know about tesco? I'll try asda
Oh, so your OP should have read that they aren't redeemable on-line at Morrisons rather than on-line per se?

UndeadSlut · 26/01/2021 08:40

As far as I know they can only be used online for Asda. Definitely not Morrisons or Tesco.

It does seem VERY silly. The message "stay out of shops as much as possible" (but we're also going to make it so parents with children, statistically more likely to be single parents have to go to supermarkets, probably with their children in tow).

MellowBird85 · 26/01/2021 08:40

Yeah what @Bluntness100 said.

saffire · 26/01/2021 08:41

@StarCat2020

It is utterly disgusting that the Government begrudge CHILDREN £3 a day for lunch.

I cannot understand why the £15 a week wasn't just transferred into the bank accounts of the parents rather than vouchers or food parcels.

I don't want to be cynical but I wonder if the whole farce with the food parcels wasn't intentional to keep certain voters on their side??

I hope I am wrong.

Unfortunately because some people wouldn't spend it on food for their children otherwise!
StarCat2020 · 26/01/2021 08:45

This can’t be serious. Do you know how many parents will spend it on other things and give the kids fuck all?
I am shocked that so many people share this opinion regarding £3 a day per child but you live and learn.

Lanzo · 26/01/2021 08:56

Your post title was correct. They are not free school meals as they are payed for by the tax payer. Surely you can work out a way to use them if you actually need them.

contrmary · 26/01/2021 09:05

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

gingerbiscuits · 26/01/2021 09:05

It's free money which it sounds as though you're not even desperate for. Put some effort in & either shop online elsewhere or send someone else to the shops for you.