Bristol city council fsm vouchers not happening.

[oldstudentmum]

I’ve been sent this email not long ago the universal credit uplift ended now this.

🤷‍♀️ can you work more instead? Cut back anywhere else?

It's always those who are most in need they target. This will mean a lot of families have to choose between food and heating or electricity.

can you work more instead? Cut back anywhere else

Do you really think anyone needing to access this support hasn't already looked at those options?

@ChangeChingyChange Congratulations for the first judgy remark. I presume you think people live in poverty because they are lazy and could easily pick up more hours, or that poverty doesn't really exist. I'm surprised you didn't ask the OP what size TV they have

@ChangeChingyChange really? People who need those vouchers are already stretched and show me a boss who is happy to chuck people extra work and pay now

can you work more instead? Cut back anywhere else?
@ChangeChingyChange

Behave.

Ah yes that’ll be it; no free school meals so you’ll have to think about work again

Have they announced what support the Household Support Fund will be providing? Is there anything on that link?

Sorry genuine comment! I've been in a similar position and took on 3 jobs around kids to pull myself out. I do think sometimes people don't think outside the box to fix their own problems and just have an instant reaction of anger when things are withdrawn but you have to sometimes make your own way in life and not depend on things that can be withdrawn with a moments notice.

do think sometimes people don't think outside the box to fix their own problems

Getting a job is not exactly thinking outside of the box is it?
It's great you were able to work 3 jobs to change your situation. For many many people that isn't an option. The same people are already living with the bare essentials so what they end p cutting back on is the essentials such as food and heat.

Given the current job market, benefit cuts and delays you have to be living under a rock to believe poor people actively work to be poor

Getting 3 jobs is thinking outside the box though. A lot of people take on flexible work like just eat and those sorts of jobs. Admin work from home etc etc things you can do around kids. I split my day up into hours and filled any spare minutes with work as a priority. I'm not saying people actively work at being poor but I do think sometimes people rely on handouts without thinking about other ways to raise funds etc. Just my opinion, no judgement about the OPS situation.

To the PP . Where did the OP actually say that she claimed FSM?
Bristol (I live there ) is an incredibly expensive place to live, so families are finding that rent or mortgage is swallowing up the majority of their income.

Some people are struggling to get one job nvm 3 of them that suit around children. In my experience aswell when I was previously working 16 hours, my contract said I wasn't allowed to work anywhere else at all due to flexibility needed for their workplace. Additional jobs isn't always the way at all for some and could infact cost someone their job.

Just my opinion, no judgement about the OPS situation

Of course you are judging!
Your opinion is that people who need welfare support just aren't working or thinking hard enough to change their situation.

Bristol City Council has a hardship grant you can apply for

www.bristol.gov.uk/benefits-financial-help/apply-for-an-emergency-payment

In the pdf on the page it lists an emergency as being not having funds to cover food or other daily living expenses. From looking just now it appears most councils are now using these funds to support people rather than FSM vouchers

@ChangeChingyChange who looked after your children while you worked those three jobs?

I worked around children. I'm not saying just work and dont claim benefits, I'm saying look at what you could do to improve your finances if benefits are cut etc which they often are at a moments notice.

In answer to some suggestions. I’m angry for the many tens of thousands this will affect. The Bristol evening post are looking into this. I feel that fsm vouchers was a brilliant idea. With the rising costs of energy. It won’t affect me but I know of many that it made a difference to them.
Oh I do have a big tv and sky! Yes Bristol is a very expensive place to live but I class myself as fortunate as I can afford a good lifestyle. I’m annoyed for others not as fortunate.

I think there is a council meeting on the 14th ! Regarding these issues.

It’s a shame, I have heard that a lot of local authorities are offering free holiday club places with meals for those on FSM so perhaps the school can signpost you/other families to some of the activities.

Not always that easy if you're a carer or disabled ffs @ChangeChingyChange

[quote MyDcAreMarvel]@ChangeChingyChange who looked after your children while you worked those three jobs?[/quote]
Excellent question.

Yes I agree there should be FSM vouchers in the holidays

Bristol were given £4,039,695.11 by the government in October as part of the Household Support Scehme for vulnerable households.

My own LA have allocated £2.4million of their funding to free meals for children throught the winter.

I wonder why Bristol haven't allocated part of their £4 million for the same?

I struggle with the free schools meal thing. I don’t deny poverty exists but a loaf of bread, pack of ham, bag of carrots and 6 pack of crisps could be brought for about £2.50, enough for 5 lunches for a child. A bag of pasta, some tinned tomatoes and grated cheese about the same. So feeding two kids lunch for a fiver for 5 days. Even on benefits surely a family can find £5 to feed their kids for the holidays when they don’t have to the rest of the year? I know lots of people on benefits and they can all easily afford this. There are community pantry schemes all over the place.
Not being goady but I do wonder about this.

Every council has been allocated a fixed Household Support Grant sum by the government to cover the winter months and every single one is setting up its own methods for allocating the funds to the 'most deserving' families to help with food and fuel poverty. So it's going to be a major postcode lottery who receives this funding and how much they will get - but it definitely won't be much per family based on how much is being allocated to each council.