to useDD's FSM voucher for clothes?

[PyongyangKipperbang]

I always prioritise good food for the kids, I would never skimp although I am frugal.

However, as DD's school has had to close this week (the only time its happened for KW and vulnerable kids in a year!) we have been sent a £15 vouvher to cover her FSM as I am lone parent on a low income. We have food in, so I bought her a few bits that she needs clothes wise with it.

My mother understands but is worried I will "get into trouble" for not spending it on food. My argument is that I have already done this weeks food shopping so if I had had that voucher then I would have taken it off the food shopping bill. As it is, I hadnt so I could get her a few bits of clothing she needs, which I would have done with cash this week as I would have had a bit left over on the food budget. Accounting adds up, so surely its ok and I havent broken the rules?

How would anyone find out?

I don't see how they would know and anyway, the clothes were for her. Your child is fed and clothed. I think that's fine.

And I don't think you did anything wrong

@shouldistop

How would anyone find out?

Well this is the thing.... I tried to explain that it came as a gift voucher and therefore no one would know if I spent it on bread and milk or gin or clothes! But she is paranoid and that got me thinking whether morally it was ok.

I really do think that it is.

My school has handed a lot of FSM vouchers out over the few months and we have no idea what any of them have been spent on. The only thing we are alerted to is if they haven’t been used and are about to expire so we can call home to remind.

Not that it matters, but your purchase sounds more that suitable to me.

Of course you've done the correct thing. Budgeting carefully to meet your child's needs. Your mum isn't wrong to mistrust the system though. But you're fine. Nothing to find out and no way to find it out either

Read the terms of the gift voucher- is it a normal gift voucher or one through one of the FSMs schemes? I know those can't be used for alcohol or cigarettes, even though they look like a standard Sainsburys / Tesco etc voucher. Read the small print.

If it can't be used for non-food items, then hold on to it and knock it off a future bill - I believe those school voucher ones need to be used within 2 months.

It really doesn't matter. I used the ones we got in my general shop, which included tea towels, nappies, pastries and many a thing that it wasn't intended for the vouchers amongst the general lunch stuff. What's the point of waiting until the next food shop if you could spend it today? You work out just as worse/better off however it's spent.

It’s absolutely fine. You’re still using it for your child’s needs, just in a different way to meals. Nobody will find out. And I can’t imagine anyone begrudging you spending it on clothes. You had food in that week, but you’re still on a low income and entitled to support.

Thanks

You know how it can be, not actually borrowing from Peter to pay Paul but having to decide whether the uniform can make another half term.....

So being able to get her a few cheap supermarket bits, either with the voucher or with the cash I would have had left over if I had used the voucher on the food shopping, its still being spent on her.

I think my mother spends too much time reading stories in the DAILY HATE about people getting into trouble for spending it on anything other than value tinned beans and bread. Although I have managed to get her own to the I paper during the week, so progress!

they wont know.

The voucher essentially subsidises what you spent. You’d spent the money on the weekly food shop and the voucher paid you back. No harm no foul!