Free school meals

[Strawb1980]

Just had message from school: 'would you be interested in free breakfast and after school club in September'.
'Yes that would be great' I was about to text back.
Then another 'this is available if you're child is on free school meals'.
Also offering free summer activities for children on free school meals.
I work and I'm on a low income but still pay for my dc meals, breakfast and after school club would be a great help to me instead of relying on family to take/collect my dc whilst I'm working. Why do I feel that ppl working are often penalised for doing so?
AIBU to feel this way?

I completely understand your frustration, it sometimes feels like the squeezed middle often miss out on things that would really make a financial difference to us.
But you are being unreasonable to assume that the children it is available to have parents who “sit at home all day”
If you don’t qualify for FSM it means you aren’t low income and that fsm isn’t potentially the only hot meal you’d child will get that day.

[quote Strawb1980]@UhtredRagnarson
Trying to set a good example to my dc by going to work even tho its hard at times. Hopefully they will realise you don't get everything for nothing when they're older[/quote]
But you want something for nothing. you want free breakfast and after school club.

How are you being penalised for working?

I get the OP.

The problem is with any scheme like this you have:

1. The people who definitely should get it
2. The people who definitely don't need it

Then in the middle you have a whole heap of people including people who really would benefit massively from it, but miss out on qualifying for it.

You can't afford days out, some of these families can't afford basics like regular meals, heating and school uniform. Disadvantage has a habit of staying with people for life- this kind of scheme tries to help level this.
You don't get it because you do not have the same level of disadvantage - it is not about you working and others 'sitting at home'. I don't think you have a clear understanding of disadvantage and it's long term implications.

Breakfast club, FSM and after school club isn’t to provide free days out for children that won’t get them at home. It’s to provide food that they won’t get at home. If you’re struggling to feed your child then apply for FSM and speak to your GP about a food bank voucher.

Do you not get help with childcare OP? I'm a single parent on a relatively low income (£18k) and I receive help with childcare via tax credits.

Oh and to add, even with FSM we can’t afford days out either

I was just about to press YANBU and then I got to the end and saw your other comments.
So you are basically just a GF.

My dc get free school meals.
I work hard, I come home worn out.
I set a good example to my kids.

I certainly don't sit around on my arse all day and you will be glad to know that I have to pay for them to go to after school club while I work.

I know others have said this but it might be worth checking with the school to see if you qualify for FSM. They are invested in getting you signed up if you do as the school will get more money and they can help support you.
I was a free dinners kid and it's a good scheme that should be expanded in my opinion. £16 k a year is a very difficult amount to live on with a kid and I totally empathise

I'm with you op. Due to the £30 a week working tax we can't get free school meals. I earn about roughly 14,000(30 hrs a week). My kids school meals come to like £25 a week. That's without any of the other extras you get for having FSM.

Ceejay would it work out better if you changed over to universal credit?

That's without any of the other extras you get for having FSM.

What extras?

[quote Strawb1980]@UhtredRagnarson
Trying to set a good example to my dc by going to work even tho its hard at times. Hopefully they will realise you don't get everything for nothing when they're older[/quote]
Err - isn't this exactly what you WERE saying - that people who do not go to work get everything for nothing?

Having free school meals triggers other help. I’m not sure exactly what but things like help with school uniform.

I think it is important that we offer these initiatives to these kids as some of them are vulnerable and as a pp has said, it helps get food into kids and keeps them in a learning environment, but I do agree with you in some respects OP. People just over the threshold don't get enough help and are left to struggle too, especially before the 30 hours childcare entitlement kicks in. Some will take a polarized view argue that the children offered these are entitled and it is right you are not offered anything, but really it sounds like you could do with help too. Due to housing being so expensive, there are a lot of working poor who struggle to pay bills, eat and keep a roof over their head and are getting into debt. They need help too and the threshold is too low.

I understsnd your frustration. I have been in this position, but to be resentful of other families is nasty. I was always better off working, because I was not going to stay in poorly paid jobs forever. Also, childcare school meals etc is a large bill each week, but this is also temporary, as it gets smaller as the children get older. Some families who get FSM may be in the position of needed financial support forever. Do you really want that? It's not an enviable position to be in, is it?

There needs to be a clear cut off point though otherwise the system would totally crash and no one would get the FSM.

From the POV of the government and not my personal views, these things are offered, not to help families but for children to get away from their 'deadbeat' families to have more exposure to other types, of people and other experiences and minimise the 'negative' influence of home, bdnefit cycles etc. It's for future prospects purely for potential tax purposes, not to help families.

You are not entitled if you get any working tax credit. So if you work on the old benefit system getting min wage you are not entitled. I can see how your income can be very low and you would still not be eligible. It is not fair you are right.

Check if you will be better off claiming UC instead. It has different rules so you may get free school meals but some people are worse off so get CAB to do a benefit calculation.

I work and get FSM 🤷🏻‍♀️

You're a bit of a goady fucker aren't you, talk of "getting everything for nothing" "sat at home all day" etc. Bit boring really.

@MaskingForIt

But mysteriously they can afford cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. Funny that.

There’s always one 😂

You must do under 16 hours a week or be on UC. OP is on WTC.