Bloody (not) Free school meals

[Hazelnutlatteplease]

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

[Daisypaisy2]

@StarCat2020

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.

If you try look for another side £15 saved for the month adds up though. Also it’s PER child! Potentially £120+ month in vouchers..

[Hazelnutlatteplease]

@Ddot all of this has been covered if you read the thread. I'm not sure theres much mileage adding too it. Pretty sure if its "relevant" it's already been said

[Ddot]

Why can't you go to shops, it's not nice but how do you get your shopping other times. Someone said you can use on line in one store.

[Hazelnutlatteplease]

@bloodyhairy
Unbelievable. People who dont read the thread

[canigooutyet]

www.edenred.co.uk/Documents/DfE/DfE_FreeSchoolMeals_ParentCarerFAQs.pdf

Link to where they can be used online and how long they last.

[bloodyhairy]

Unbelievable. Just go to the bloody shops at a quiet time, or ask someone else to go for you.

[WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo]

@Ddot

One child going hungry is too much. If 99% have to have vouchers because 1% are irresponsible, sorry but that's the way it has to be.

And the people who then can't use the vouchers? What about them?

[Ddot]

Its like paying the rent benefit into banks instead of to landlord. Then small amount of people spend it. What can you do.

[jakesmommy]

I think £15 per child per week is fair tbh, it's for lunch so £3 a day is fair, me and my husband are struggling, he is furloughed but works for Debenhams so will be redundant soon and I am working from home part time, we are not entitled to free school meal yet but will probably qualify once he loses his job, that voucher will help.

[CatsnCoffee]

In Wales parents receive the payment directly into their bank account, giving responsibility to them to spend as they need.

[Ddot]

One child going hungry is too much. If 99% have to have vouchers because 1% are irresponsible, sorry but that's the way it has to be.

[WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo]

@RootyT00t silly me. I forgot poor children aren't allowed choices! I wish he would eat what he's given (actually I don't, I'm happy to support him) but he's the sort of child who will actually go hungry rather than eat something he doesn't like. I guess if he was actually starving he might give in. But he'd move in with my mum if before that happened

[ArosAdraDrosDolig]

It isn’t better odds ddot, for the reasons I explained above. Money has better odds.

[RootyT00t]

[quote sashh]@WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo

Maybe you could be given vouchers only for fruit and veg an submit you choices to the panel for prior approval.

Fruit!

Children might enjoy that, a choice of gruel or porridge, made with water, maybe allow milk on Sunday after compulsory church.[/quote]
Sugar sorry i forgot the outrage jam caused.

@WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo pescatarian???? You're having a laugh. He will eat whatever he is given

[RootyT00t]

@lockeddownandcrazy not true
Please don't pedal these stereotypes it doesn't help anyone.

[lockeddownandcrazy]

@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.

Probably because the government are well aware that in the families where children have most need - which is probably not those on mumsnet - that directly transferred money would be very unlikely to be spent on anything for the child, let alone food.

[Ddot]

Someone I worked with!
Her neighbour had a small child who recieved charity for her child. A warm coat and some toys for Christmas.
Boxing day she was banging on doors trying to sell.
Not all parents are good parents so unfortunately a voucher is the only option. Still doesn't mean the child will eat but better odds

[WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo]

@rashfordsrations I hope you hear something soon!
We are quite lucky in the sense that DS1s school have been given some 'vegetarian sliders' which they've then passed on to fsm families. We've got 21 of them being delivered tomorrow. DS1 is pescetarian, and very fussy so hopefully he will eat them. Although if he doesn't DS2 and I eat almost anything so they won't go to waste!

[Rashfordsrations]

It is really odd how it is being dealt with. My child gets fsm but i am yet to receive anything. I have contacted school and i just keep getting fobbed off with “in a few days you will receive something”

[sashh]

@WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo

Maybe you could be given vouchers only for fruit and veg an submit you choices to the panel for prior approval.

Fruit!

Children might enjoy that, a choice of gruel or porridge, made with water, maybe allow milk on Sunday after compulsory church.

[RootyT00t]

@TylluanBach

Ah yes. The smoking drinking drug taking parents.

How many of those do you think there are per 100 fsm recipients?

And do you think it's only fsm recipients who do that?

[TylluanBach]

@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.

Think you need to join the real world where that money would be spent on fags,booze or the next hit to escape reality.

[SE13Mummy]

@Hazelnutlatteplease and @iamtheoneandonlyyy if you're struggling to redeem the vouchers you've been issued, please get in touch with your child's school and let someone know you need support in a different form. It may be that the school is able to set up something different for you e.g. delivery of food boxes from a supermarket or even a willing staff member doing a shop for you.

The school I teach at is providing supermarket deliveries from Asda or Morrisons, depending upon what each family has chosen. If a family is struggling to get food but isn't eligible for FSM, we get a box sent to them ASAP but one of the staff will drop off immediate essentials the same day. Not every school will offer exactly that but I'm fairly certain that if you ask for help, most schools will find a way to get food to you. And if either of you happen to be in SE London, I'm out and about dropping resources and supplies to families of the children at my school so would be more than happy to do the same for you.

[ArosAdraDrosDolig]

That should be angrywife

[ArosAdraDrosDolig]

No angeywife, I’m feeding my own children with the money that’s in my bank account from the council. With no stigma, no being forced to trek to a more expensive shop that will take the voucher, no worry about whether somewhere will take it. So no, I’m not the one doing the assuming. I know I am using the money correctly and I know that everyone I know who is also claiming fsm is feeding their children with that money.

I have worked with vulnerable families in the past though. And the most vulnerable families are in need of more support than a bank transfer or a voucher. Making it a voucher doesn’t mean those children are protected, the issues are multifactorial as you well know. And those families are unlikely to have the ability to apply for, obtain and use a voucher without support. They are also the least likely to be able to drive to the shop where the voucher can be redeemed, or to have enough money in their account to reach the minimum for an online order, have phone credit or WiFi to order it etc etc. Cash reduces the number of barriers to that money being spent on feeding children. It also gives people choice, which shouldn’t be the prerogative of the rich.

The ignorance on this thread is astounding . You said it.