Free school lunches

[Eva50]

Due to a change in circumstances several months ago our income has gone down and will remain at this level for the foreseeable future. I applied for free school lunches for DS and our application has been refused as we were over the limit (by less than 1k) last year. Our income now is well below the cut off but they don't seem to take this into consideration. Do I just have to accept this or is there anything I can do?

From the Entitled To website:

"You can apply for free school meals if you or your child receive any of the following:
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income of £16,190 or less
Working Tax Credit 'run-on' - the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.

If you don't fit the criteria you won't get FSM. I know, I've tried. Doesn't matter how skint you are, you have to fit the above.

What are your circumstances? Do you work?

As far as I know you wont qualify if you or your partner is in work.

Neither of us are working at the moment. Dh was self employed and had two contracts which are not being renewed. He is well past retirement age so gets a pension. I haven't worked for 2 years (worked 30 consecutive years before that) due to ill health. We are getting child tax credit and our income this year will be around £12,000 but they are going on last years income.

You seem to fit the criteria. Apply again but use this year's projected figures as your income has clearly changed.

I will give them a phone tomorrow. I just don't think I'm good at dealing with things like this. In my "other life" I had a good career and dealt with this sort of thing on behalf of others all the time without any problem. Ah how times (and I) have changed.

I feel for you. I was a single parent years ago and was 50p,,,, yes 50p over the annual threshold. It was laughable.

Part of the problem is you see a different person each time you go in. Person 1 says fill out form A and submit documents 1, 2, and 3 as evidence so you do that and get a letter saying it should have been form B and documents 4 and 5 and then that's not right either.

I'm really fortunate that I have aquired a lot of rubbish treasures over the years I no longer need and can flog on Gumtree and I have an overdraft on my account and a credit card. Obviously I don't want to acquire debt I can't clear but we won't starve. I really feel for those who have no money and no way of getting any.

So what happens when people separate? They can't go on last year's income because that is not the current income to the lone parent household. Does anyone know?