School Meals!

Hello blakemoreke

As someone who has worked from when my eldest was a year old, I do sympathise with the thought that others are getting more than you. Mine never had free dinners either, and for a time I ran myself ragged fitting together three part time jobs plus teaching music in the evenings, just to get by.

As far as I understand it, the people whose children get them include those who are on certain benefits such as Income Support or means tested Job Seekers Allowance or who get the full amount of Child Tax Credit and whose household income from other sources is less than about £16,000 (gross) and who do not receive Working Tax Credit.See here for the official page

If you add your own income up: £10k wages and I am guess-timating £2400 Working Tax Credit and £1700 Child Benefit (for two children) then you are still under the limit....although any childcare costs you claim will of course be added to this, plus any child support and Housing Benefit you receive, which may put you over the limit....whereas depending on rental costs, someone on benefits could have a significantly higher total "income" than you and yet receive free school meals.

I can't explain why your friend's child gets them, all I can assume is that some authorities give them to all children? (although I have never heard of this) It certainly seems to go against the official line.

The system really is quite inegalitarian and I think this is one of the things that the current Government plans seek to iron out (bet they won't )

You could just pay for meals for your younger child and let your older one have a packed lunch. Could your younger child come home for lunch on any days you are not working? Could you have a chat with the school and ask if there are items that are not allowed? (just thinking about her having bsicuits taken away) Could you negotiate with your child to have packed some days and school dinner on other days? Does she have a friend who would do the same so they can sit together?When my boys were at secondary school they never bothered with anything so civilised as sitting down anyway, they just wanted something to gobble down on their way to football so you might be Ok with your older child.

I do think it is worth contacting your local Education Office and asking if any other bits and bobs of helps are available to you, such as uniform vouchers etc. Sometimes local charities will be able to access grants to help you and some schools run uniform shops to cut down the cost there. It is infuriating though!