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?

@JustLyra

However a LOT of parents in our school do not have these reasons

How handy that you know the ins and outs of the finances of the people you’re judging

Yeah, this. The benefit bashers always seem to have hidden cameras in the homes of all the people they're judging. So convenient.

@neonorchid

Pressed send too soon,

I don't think that is fair that my child gets FSM still when we really so not need it.

I’ve heard this quite a lot. Schools encourage people to claim their ‘entitlement’ even if it’s not needed so that the school gets PP funds. The system is messed up.

@MockneyReject OP and others who receive WTC, could change over to UC. They might get less actual money, but would get FSM and associated 'privileges'. I work 30 hours a week and get UC and am entitled to FSM
That’s incorrect new claimants to UC do not automatically qualify for UC and have not for several years. You can earn more on Tax credits and get fsm than you can on UC. You only get fsm for your child due to transitional protection. If they are in year 4 or below they will loose it when they go to high school.

@LakieLady Yes, I realise that now. That's absurdly low. Yet another great way of shafting low-income families the Tories have come up with. I could honestly believe they have a department set up specially for that reason!

The one that always gets me is our school residential. If you're on fsm it's £50. Everyone else, £200. There must be plenty of children with parents earning just above the threshold for fsm who miss out.

I get where you are coming from. There is a buffer zone when benefits are set up and if you are close to it you could still probably do with the benefit but cant get it. Wish we could extend benefits to a lot more people, like they do in scandinavia.

@Hallyup6

But who do you blame for that? The government who set the limits, or the kids on FSM?

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?

It’s not about helping parents though. FSM are there to benefit children.

Ah, I didn't realise that, myDCareMarvel. My son must have the residual entitlement, then?
I don't think schools are doing anything dodgy by claiming the PP, though. The effects of disadvantage don't disappear the day the family income hits the threshold. Also, it's often this funding that makes it possible to set up the clubs etc.
My son's school set aside a 'parental element' (£200p/a) which can be used to pay for trips, uniform etc. They don't have to do this (I don't think) but it incentivises those who wouldn't otherwise claim it, for example, because their child doesn't like the dinners (like mine!)

@WrongKindOfFace

*How is she entitled? On a teacher's salary, she isnt entitled. Is she a teaching assistant? Or some sort of teacher only working 1 day a week?*

If she was entitled previously, even very briefly, she’d keep them even when earning above the threshold. I think you keep them until your child reaches the next stage of education?

They will be classed as ever6 pupil premium until 6 years after they stop being fsm pupil premium. So they will get some funding but not quite as much. It depends on the school how it is used. However, she shouldn't be getting the actual meals for free anymore.

I don't think you being that unreasonable I have recently gone down from a 50,000 a year to 20,000 this si a marriage split but I still have the same financial responsibilities I had previously and yes I am struggling , including being behind with dinner bills
I have 3 children that get school meals 1 luckily year 2 .
Currently I am doing packed lunch for the other 2 but it's not working as they eat everything .

I admit I felt the same when my eldest started school. I had friends who didn't work or only worked 16 hours a week and got loads of free stuff. However, I'm glad now that I continued as my career has progressed. Anyway, those benefits are for those really in need. I understand though, it's hard working a lot of hours for next to nothing and struggling!

With all due respect @Strawb1980 it's not about whether you can afford days out it's about whether you can afford to feed your children...which you say you can.

[quote Librariesmakeshhhhappen]@Hallyup6

But who do you blame for that? The government who set the limits, or the kids on FSM?[/quote]
Well I certainly don't blame the kids or their parents. I'm a carer myself, but fortunately my husband earns enough for us not to have to rely on benefits, so we pay full whack for trips and school meals. I suppose I think there should be more of a staggered system, say you're liable for 25/50/75/100% depending on your income, although I guess that might prove difficult to police.

I appreciate that you may be finding things tough and it might seem frustrating that other families are getting help when you aren't.

However, for many children on FSM (not all!), breakfast club/FSM etc. May be literally the only meals they get

I teach secondary and last year, a colleague and I each taught one of two brothers. We took to keeping packets of biscuits in our cupboards to offer to them as they came to school having eaten nothing

Some of these children will be the most disadvantaged there are and that extra support can make a world of difference.

. I'm not judging ppl its the fact that places only available to children on fsc... I'll leave it there I think as ppl have totally picked up the wrong meaning of what point I was trying to make

@Hallyup6

Then you're reasonable. But the OP is directing her anger at these kids and their "lasy parents sitting on their ass all day."

Your feelings are very different from hers.

@Strawb1980

What point were you trying to make when you talked about lazy parents sitting on their ass all day?

If you get working tax credits you can't get FSM. Obviously yiu are low income if you get tax credits, I agree it seems really unfair.

I know families whose children are entitled to fsm's. They're often in McDonald's after school.
Although my partner and I both work we have to explain sometimes that they can't join their pals as we just can't afford it.
(Likewise the £100 trainers that seem to be standard issue among them)

I worked and went to college then uni and my kids got FSM. Tax credits system and I had to prove their entitlement every year by showing my award notice every year.

I worked part time term time and more hours holidays.

I don’t claim anything now and I wouldn’t grudge anyone a hand. This government have cut benefits in real terms so if someone is getting FSM it means their child could potentially genuinely go hungry without it. And the extra clubs are to level up the disadvantage.

I wouldn’t go back to being that skint for anything.

@Strawb1980

. I'm not judging ppl its the fact that places only available to children on fsc... I'll leave it there I think as ppl have totally picked up the wrong meaning of what point I was trying to make

You were totally (incorrectly) judging people.

@Spied

I know families whose children are entitled to fsm's. They're often in McDonald's after school. Although my partner and I both work we have to explain sometimes that they can't join their pals as we just can't afford it. (Likewise the £100 trainers that seem to be standard issue among them)

I’ve never paid more than £50 for a pair of trainers in my life 😂😂.

The only FSM at my kids primary were all fraudulent

Single unmarried mums except working dad does actually live there just not on the council house paperwork.

How do you know they got FSM on the basis of their parent being a single parent? You don’t expect us to believe you were told this by every single parent who claimed FSM?