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

[NorthernBirdAtHeart]

You clearly don’t need them if you have some left over from the last lock down.

[luxxlisbon]

Why wouldn't they have a one month expiration? Their purpose is for lunches to be available now.

[Sparklfairy]

@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.

The whole way through this pandemic people have acted selfishly. Going out in lockdown for no reason other than they think they're special. Trying to queue jump by pretending they're NHS wjen they're not. Refusing to wear mask as its "uncomfortable". You're naive if you think hard cash isn't going to be tempting for some parents to buy booze/fags/drugs/something other than food for their child with it, and yes, the child goes hungry.

As a PP said, you're naive about the reality of poverty.

[Iwantacookie]

No you cant use it online for tesco. I sold some of my vouchers to my mom for face value then I spent that money on food in aldi because it went further.

[ButtWormHole]

Wow imagine being this ungrateful

[HikeForward]

If you’re in such a bad financial situation that you need the vouchers, you also need to find a way to get to Tesco. Go at night when it’s nearly empty?

I think selling them is illegal!

What would happen if you couldn’t get a delivery slot or couldn’t afford the extra £5 delivery charge? Or if they allowed use of them online you might end up with substitutions and complain about that too.

It’s like schools can’t win; the boxes were no good as they were ‘stingy’ and ‘embarrassing’, the vouchers are no good as they can’t be used online... FSM are not your ‘right’ but a charitable endeavour to ensure children don’t starve.

We’re in the middle of a global pandemic and economic crisis, taxpayers are going to be squeezed more than ever. Please try to feel some gratitude for the free meals instead of complaining they don’t suit you.

[SmileyClare]

They don't have a one month expiration once you've downloaded or printed the voucher.

I think the FSM vouchers scheme is one thing the government have got right. Although they begrudgingly rolled it out after much pressure, petitioning and being publicly humiliated by Marcus Rashford

[BadgerWatch]

I'm not on FSM, but there's been plenty of times in the past if I'd had £15 paid directly into my bank it would have been swallowed by my overdraft. At least with vouchers this can't happen.

[Whatwouldscullydo]

Wow imagine being this ungrateful

Yes those who get fsm should be grateful for anything regardless of if they cab actually use it or not.

Not sure what the answer is really.. the boxes were terrible.

Vouchers may be difficult to use for those who are shielding or have young and/or disabled children and are single parents,.but cash night just be absorbed by over drafts and inaccessible.

Its never gonna be possible to help everyone sadly.

But this attitude that poor people all waste it on booze ajd cigarettes and cabt be trusted with cash ir shlukd be grateful grateful for a loaf of mouldy bread and a frube, or vouchers they cant use is disgusting.

But then covid has brought out the worst in everyone tbh. They've all become arseholes

[iamtheoneandonlyyy]

I have leftover vouchers that I want to use
Single parent of 3
No access to supermarkets
No childcare whatsoever
Nobody to do it for me
Delivery slots permanently full
I could do an order for a few weeks away but the very little cash I have needs to be used for food now and can't be paid in advance.
I'm not ungrateful and I really could do with using them, I'm having days where I'm telling them mummy's not hungry at the moment
But yes, all of the posters on here saying I should be grateful are so wise and generous.

[sashh]

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

Parents like that will sell a £15 voucher for £10 to spend on other things.

[Mumofsend]

I struggled last lockdown with the lack of online so in the end I gave my mum the vouchers and she transferred me the cash so I could still shop online.

[HavelockVetinari]

@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.

I'm afraid it's not an opinion, it's a fact (I bloody wish it wasn't, but it is).

If you know any social workers (or anyone who's studied social work at university) just ask them. They'll explain to you about complex chaotic lifestyles, addiction, mental health issues, abusive spouses/partners* etc.

Most parents do the very best possible for their DC, but even a small percentage of parents not doing this translates into tens of thousands of hungry children.

* this one is heartbreakingly common - an abusive partner or spouse who controls all access to money and keeps their other half extremely short, even for the basic necessities of life like food

[movingonup20]

@StarCat2020

Because too many parents would spend the £15 on non food. They caught a kid stealing food in Iceland here before Christmas, was in the paper, and (according to local rag) the kids mum never bought groceries, now obviously a complex picture but our local school has opted for generous hampers (really big actually I've delivered some as a volunteer) not vouchers to ensure that the children get food

[Doublefaced]

@contrmary

There's no pleasing some people.

Honestly, if you're in such dire straits as to need "free" school meals (i.e. you need someone else to pay to raise your kids) then having to go to the supermarket is hardly the biggest obstacle in the world. Go at a quiet time.

Out of order.

When my husband was fucking his secretary and I was left with three small children, I relied on tax credits for a period and also qualified for free school meals.
Your snobbery and derision are disgusting.

[Bourbonic]

I don't think there's any more the government could realistically have done? I don't know about morrisons but tesco don't accept gift cards online so is it not the same premise?

Have you tried posting in your local Facebook group? I'm sure somebody would either pick up a few bits for you or would swap you.

[HavelockVetinari]

@iamtheoneandonlyyy

I have leftover vouchers that I want to use
Single parent of 3
No access to supermarkets
No childcare whatsoever
Nobody to do it for me
Delivery slots permanently full
I could do an order for a few weeks away but the very little cash I have needs to be used for food now and can't be paid in advance.
I'm not ungrateful and I really could do with using them, I'm having days where I'm telling them mummy's not hungry at the moment
But yes, all of the posters on here saying I should be grateful are so wise and generous.

I'm sorry you're in such a difficult situation. Could you ask a friend or family member to pick up some food for you? Even a neighbour? If not, you could try your local area Facebook to ask whether anyone knows of volunteers doing shopping for those who are isolating? Most areas have people doing that.

If none of that, could you call the supermarket to explain, and ask whether they can get you an earlier delivery slot?

Last resort: book a delivery for a few weeks' time, at least then you'll get the items.

It sounds really hard, I'm sorry you're going through it [flowers[

[movingonup20]

@iamtheoneandonlyyy

Where/how would you shop pre covid? Online shopping is pretty new, wasn't around when my kids were small - we got on the bus, kept my pram longer as it was handy for shopping (and made kids walk) or a shopping basket on wheels?

[WorraLiberty]

Exactly @HavelockVetinari

I'm really surprised some people don't know that

[SmileyClare]

@iamtheoneandonlyyy

I have leftover vouchers that I want to use
Single parent of 3
No access to supermarkets
No childcare whatsoever
Nobody to do it for me
Delivery slots permanently full
I could do an order for a few weeks away but the very little cash I have needs to be used for food now and can't be paid in advance.
I'm not ungrateful and I really could do with using them, I'm having days where I'm telling them mummy's not hungry at the moment
But yes, all of the posters on here saying I should be grateful are so wise and generous.

This sounds terrible but makes no sense to me. How are you doing a food shop if you can't access shops or get an online shop?

[WorraLiberty]

@iamtheoneandonlyyy that sounds really tough

Just to pick up on one of your points though, online groceries aren't paid for in advance.

The money gets taken out of your account on the day of delivery.

[Mousehole10]

@iamtheoneandonlyyy

I have leftover vouchers that I want to use
Single parent of 3
No access to supermarkets
No childcare whatsoever
Nobody to do it for me
Delivery slots permanently full
I could do an order for a few weeks away but the very little cash I have needs to be used for food now and can't be paid in advance.
I'm not ungrateful and I really could do with using them, I'm having days where I'm telling them mummy's not hungry at the moment
But yes, all of the posters on here saying I should be grateful are so wise and generous.

Online deliveries don’t take your money until the night before the delivery (this is true of Asda who take the vouchers online).

[Gazelda]

@contrmary

There's no pleasing some people.

Honestly, if you're in such dire straits as to need "free" school meals (i.e. you need someone else to pay to raise your kids) then having to go to the supermarket is hardly the biggest obstacle in the world. Go at a quiet time.

What gives you the right to judge other people? To try to belittle them as inadequate parents? Shameful.

OP, I hope you manage to get an Asda order. Or perhaps there is a Facebook 'good neighbours' group that will get you shopping from a local coop or spar with the vouchers? I don't know if there are limits on where they can be spent, so apologies if this isn't do-able.

[Tinkywinkydinkydoo]

@iamtheoneandonlyyy

I have leftover vouchers that I want to use
Single parent of 3
No access to supermarkets
No childcare whatsoever
Nobody to do it for me
Delivery slots permanently full
I could do an order for a few weeks away but the very little cash I have needs to be used for food now and can't be paid in advance.
I'm not ungrateful and I really could do with using them, I'm having days where I'm telling them mummy's not hungry at the moment
But yes, all of the posters on here saying I should be grateful are so wise and generous.

I’m sorry you’re struggling. If you make a food order for a few weeks away, you pay for it the day of delivery , not when you make the order if that’s any help? If you have Facebook you should try finding local groups where I’m sure there’ll be lots of volunteers doing food shops for people who can’t go themselves , or maybe churches etc?

[Justme10]

I'm in Scotland so I don't know if it's the same anywhere else but we have a community hub that is ran by the local council, they will do shopping, pick up prescriptions etc if you have no one else that can help you, it's worth having a look to see if there is anything like that in your area.