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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not understand the threshold for free school meals?

170 replies

AllTheBloodyWashing · 04/09/2022 21:10

I am a lone parent to 11 year old twins who are starting secondary school this week.
I work part time and earn under £16000pa
and get a top-of universal credit, I applied for free school meals for my dc but it has come back and I have been declined.

I’m honestly so upset and really don’t know how I’m going to cope with this extra payment each week for my dc to eat at school, I’m barely scraping by as it is and have just used my last £20 to top-up their dinner cards so they can at least have something for the next two days.

so aibu to not really get the threshold for it, when so many families are really struggling at the moment.

OP posts:
Wickywickyyow · 04/09/2022 21:12

It's for income under £7400.

Chohlin654 · 04/09/2022 21:14

What did they have in primary?

Horcruxe · 04/09/2022 21:15

Under 7400? That's shocking

Crocwok · 04/09/2022 21:15

Wickywickyyow · 04/09/2022 21:12

It's for income under £7400.

Wow that's shockingly low.

Hankunamatata · 04/09/2022 21:15

If your in England

Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

Hankunamatata · 04/09/2022 21:16

Mine take pack lunch. I cant afford to give them £5 a day.

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 04/09/2022 21:16

Can they have a packed lunch? We are a packed lunch house because we can't afford school diner for 2 secondary age children.

Smilingwithfangs · 04/09/2022 21:17

That’s an insane threshold.
so sorry things are really tight OP.

Sartre · 04/09/2022 21:17

Packed lunch. I had no idea it was for people on such a low income, I honestly thought it was anyone under 16k so that’s surprised me. My DC take a packed lunch because I can’t afford school dinners, never have been able to despite being a middle income family.

Emanresu9 · 04/09/2022 21:18

missing the point here but is it £5 per child per day! That seems really very high. with tap water as a drink? You will be able to make 2 packed lunches for way less than £10 a day so I guess that is a better option going forward.

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 04/09/2022 21:19

Can you get them to make some packed lunches? Not quite as expensive as school lunches. Make sure if you can to put a daily limit on their spending. In the longer term if they are your only children at least you will be able to save in terms of childcare costs and you might be able to increase your hours a little now they are in secondary.

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 04/09/2022 21:20

I only found out the threshold a few weeks ago, on here, I was shocked. I was more shocked considering I know how many kids at the local senior school get PP. loads of them, how can their families be coping in under £7400 Anywhere, but especially when this is an expensive area to live in! (SE)

minisoksmakehardwork · 04/09/2022 21:20

Free school meal allowance works out in the region of £2.35 where we are. So your £20 would do 4 meals each if they're sensible.

But; loads of secondary students have packed lunches so they're not going to be the odd ones out.

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 04/09/2022 21:21

I have a question though, how often can you apply for it?

catchingzzzeds · 04/09/2022 21:23

I earn £13000 and I too was surprised I wasn't entitled to FSM for my children. Luckily my youngest prefers a packed lunch, I did a mix of both with my eldest as he wanted to join his friends getting canteen food. I used to pack him a snack box so that he would only need to buy one item rather than a meal.
My friends son is just starting secondary and I've sold packed lunches to him by explaining how long the queues get and told him he'll have more time for football if he takes a packed lunch.

Choopi · 04/09/2022 21:23

If schools meal are out of your budget the obvious solution is packed lunches not putting your last £20 to top up their cards.

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 04/09/2022 21:24

Emanresu9 · 04/09/2022 21:18

missing the point here but is it £5 per child per day! That seems really very high. with tap water as a drink? You will be able to make 2 packed lunches for way less than £10 a day so I guess that is a better option going forward.

Our local school is £15 pw, so £5 of, but you can't mix & match with a packed lunch, & you have to pay the full week up front.

Shinyandnew1 · 04/09/2022 21:25

We have a household income that many would consider ok, but I have never been able to afford daily school dinners for my kids. Send them with a couple of sandwiches, a bottle of water and some fruit-much cheaper!

Did your twins get free school dinners at primary in July? If so, ring the school tomorrow and find out what’s changed.

Libertyqueen · 04/09/2022 21:27

It used to be a much high threshold. It’s another one of those quiet conservative attacks on the poorest working people. I’m sorry OP. It’s not fair.

siblingrevelryagain · 04/09/2022 21:28

I was the same-it was explained that for the purposes of school dinners the benefits were classed as income (so it isn’t based on the £7,400 but the total once benefits added)

Packed lunches will be cheaper and probably healthier (and my boys say the queues for hot lunches are long and there’s nowhere to sit, so you lose all your lunch break!).

buy cheapest multipack crisps (around £1 for 6 packets), buy bread/rolls reduced and make up sandwiches and freeze, so you can take advantage of offers (just don’t add salad or mayo before freezing. Cheese/peanut butter/ham work well). Refillable bottle of water plus a biscuit of some description and a piece of fruit (or you could buy the frozen cocktail sausage rolls from a supermarket-usually bags of 50; bake them when you’re using your oven for something else. Freeze in 3/4 portion bags)

PicaK · 04/09/2022 21:30

It's worth noting that if you do at any point qualify for FSM then stop qualifying the children still receive the FSM allowance for 6 more years under the EVER 6 FSM funding.

jmh740 · 04/09/2022 21:30

The threshold is really low. My oh has been off work ill since Feb he has had no income for the last few weeks I earn 10k a year I can't work more as I need to be around to provide his care, he is entitled to £77 a week esa. I've told my 2 who are in year 8 and year 11they will need to be on packed lunches now

Hibye23289 · 04/09/2022 21:30

I remember reading about the threshold but now I'm confused because I earn just under 10k a year and I get free school meals 🤔 I get universal credits and they see my wage I earn so I don't know if I need to inform somebody now! My dd went upto secondary school and they sent me a letter saying as I was on pupil premium I could get half price uniform.

loudlylikealion · 04/09/2022 21:30

Wickywickyyow · 04/09/2022 21:12

It's for income under £7400.

That is ridiculously low. How are so many people qualifying for this? How many hours a week is that at NMW?

loudlylikealion · 04/09/2022 21:31

PicaK · 04/09/2022 21:30

It's worth noting that if you do at any point qualify for FSM then stop qualifying the children still receive the FSM allowance for 6 more years under the EVER 6 FSM funding.

Thats handy to know