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Original poster

Free School Meals - summer holidays reduction

66 replies

BooseysMom · 12/07/2022 12:37

We have received a FSM voucher for £30 to cover the whole school holidays. What has happened to it being £15 per week?!

OP posts:
LilacPoppy · 20/07/2022 17:36

@Ontomatopea because it's £30k minimum with low tax and NI if it's that minimum amount.

BiscoffSundae · 20/07/2022 18:08

Chattycathydoll · 20/07/2022 13:56

we’ve had the funded holiday camp places instead. It’s 2 weeks, 10am til 3pm, and nowhere accessible to us (2 buses there and back, so not actually free but £8 a day for me to transport her). Bit frustrating.

This is what ours seem to be this time holiday clubs instead, we won’t be able to use them as they are all sports based and my boys hate sports I sent them last year but they’ve begged me not to send them this year

Ontomatopea · 20/07/2022 18:17

LilacPoppy · 20/07/2022 17:36

@Ontomatopea because it's £30k minimum with low tax and NI if it's that minimum amount.

But they'll have outgoings such as a mortgage, or rent (increasingly high) and travel to work and who knows what else.

Sweatingmytiitsoff · 20/07/2022 18:24

borisjohnsonsforgottencondom · 20/07/2022 13:17

It's not true that all FSM children are living in poverty. I get it due to being a single parent at the time of primary school registration and am now in receipt of it until the end of primary.

I was on benefits for 6 months and am now earning well and have a partner who earns a lot.

I think the threshold for amount earned should be a lot higher and maybe means test it again at some point as my child definitely doesn't need food vouchers/free holiday clubs!

Those not on FSM and working with a low income are most likely not better off than many FSM families once you look at expenditure, it definitely needs reforming

Very nice of you to share your circumstances . People often bypass and diagnose the poverty card a bit too much on here. Poverty is not a word that should be used lightly.

ohwhatfreshhellisthisnow · 20/07/2022 19:11

I am a single parent, earn just over £30k, no financial support from anyone, I get tax free childcare and a single person's council tax discount, and that is it.

Why? Because I was stupid enough to save carefully for 20 years, so was deemed to have too many savings. Which have now pretty much run out. Silly me.

ohwhatfreshhellisthisnow · 20/07/2022 19:13

Not that I am expecting anyone to subsidise my life I hasten to add.

LilacPoppy · 20/07/2022 19:14

@ohwhatfreshhellisthisnow 30k is a decent income why would you need extra help?

AlternativelyWired · 20/07/2022 19:20

Has anyone had vouchers from Stockport council yet? I had to dig a bit for the info but they are doing the holiday club and vouchers. The holiday clubs aren't accessible to us as they are 2 bus rides away. Ds has 5 weeks off and Dd 6 weeks off.

ohwhatfreshhellisthisnow · 20/07/2022 19:20

Well to enable me to earn that, dd had to be in childcare 5 days a week at £75 a day. I was paying around £1500 a month. Still paying around £40 a day with 30 free hours at a preschool, and that will go down marginally when she starts reception in sept, as I need to use breakfast and after school club.

And that's before, ya know, troublesome things such as rent, bills and food... hence savings gone as I have been in a quite substantial deficit for the last four years.

MichelleScarn · 20/07/2022 19:26

LilacPoppy · 20/07/2022 13:02

@LadyCatStark why can't you afford to eat on two full time wages and just one child? The maths doesn't add up there.

So be absolutely demonised if you ask why some people who don't work get free childcare and extra money over school holidays when they don't work at all, but say you're struggling when you're in work to pay for things and 'it doesn't add up' nice.

Ontomatopea · 20/07/2022 19:30

LilacPoppy · 20/07/2022 19:14

@ohwhatfreshhellisthisnow 30k is a decent income why would you need extra help?

Did you miss the single parent bit? And again, mortgage or rent presumably along with all the other bills and outgoings.

LargeLegoHaul · 20/07/2022 19:48

ohwhatfreshhellisthisnow · 20/07/2022 19:20

Well to enable me to earn that, dd had to be in childcare 5 days a week at £75 a day. I was paying around £1500 a month. Still paying around £40 a day with 30 free hours at a preschool, and that will go down marginally when she starts reception in sept, as I need to use breakfast and after school club.

And that's before, ya know, troublesome things such as rent, bills and food... hence savings gone as I have been in a quite substantial deficit for the last four years.

If your savings have pretty much run out why didn’t you claim UC when they went below £16k?

Sweetchillidumplings · 20/07/2022 19:55

solarbirdscalm · 12/07/2022 20:24

Is your council offering the summer holiday childcare as well? In our area they are offering free childcare with a hot meal so I imagine they are offering less in vouchers.

Ours are offering something like this instead of vouchers but not only had I already booked (which means I have to pay for if dc go or not) my summer childcare as they couldn’t give out info until last week but it’s also nowhere near us and I don’t drive. It’s a good option for some but the vouchers would be far more helpful.

Sweatingmytiitsoff · 20/07/2022 22:30

Ontomatopea · 20/07/2022 19:30

Did you miss the single parent bit? And again, mortgage or rent presumably along with all the other bills and outgoings.

Show quote history

Everyone has bills. Plenty of single parents earning well below 30k. There has to be a cut off point some where.

People who have a mortgage are fortunate to probably live in a nicer area, surrounding good amenities and it's a long term investment!

SleepingStandingUp · 21/07/2022 10:02

LadyCatStark · 19/07/2022 20:11

Why are some people getting free money AND free HAF while others are struggling to pay for holiday activities so that they can work AND struggling to pay for food for their children 🤷‍♀️. Somethings not right here…

DS gets HAF as he's on a plan, there's very little choice that would enable you to work 9-5. Most are offering something like 10-2. I think the longest one we have is 10-3.30. It definitely isn't set up as childcare in the same way as the kind of clubs you'd pay for.

Sweatingmytiitsoff · 21/07/2022 16:16

@SleepingStandingUp very true. Plus 2 weeks is hardly childcare at my DS school 2 weeks are available but you can only select one week. It starts at 09.30 far too late for me so it's no good for me and it finishes at 14 30.

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