Working Tax Credit/Free School Meals - advice appreciated.

dktreesea wrote: »

My advice is to write to your MP and protest that the conditions up in Scotland are much more "low income friendly" than in England. I was in the council (in Scotland) today and was given a brochure to apply for help with back to school expenses (we get WTC).

I thought the criteria for free school meal was the same in Scotland as in England - Could you confirm?

Ta

:beer:

I don't claim WTC (I'm a student) but I still get my NHS exemption card, in fact my new one came in 2 weeks ago.
Am I being given this by mistake??

surfsister wrote: »

I'm in the same position as I get working tax credit can't get free dinners or free school transport it's grossly unfair much better in england not to work

Better to not work just because you dont get help with school dinners or travel? :eek:

I am just writing to say that certain people are being incredibly insensitive, as a mother of a disabled child I understand how little help you get financially to care and support a child with disabilities or illnesses (or both). I had to give up work to care for my daughter and now i get a 'great' amount of benefit of about £50 a week to look after her. This is not a choice, and no the government do not help enough to cover living costs especially the high costs of having a disabled or ill child. It is normally the financially well off people that are highly critical of anyone on benefits, who have no experience of it. I have never been a benefit scrounger and to suddenly have to rely on them is extremely hard. Pressure to look after the child, give up work or cut down on work, and cope on very little benefits when costs are so much higher of living in this situation. Please understand that yes you can cope with paying for children under normal circumstances, but this is very different. Unless you are in that situation it is very easy to be critical, so dont' be so harsh. rbbadger - i empaphise with you, I am in the same situation, my other daughter takes packed lunches as we have no choice as we cannot financially do it otherwise. And i'm afraid it is the only thing to do, there seems to be no way around it, whatever your income if you receive wtc you cannot get it. Good luck though in everything, be positive. x

rbbadger wrote: »

I don't understand how it works though. If I cancel WTC will I lose NHS exemption? I am heavily dependent on this as I have a disabled child who is seriously ill at the moment. Also find it hard to chase up all the different benefits etc around my caring and work commitments...there must be an easier way to sort it all?

I thought children were exempt NHS charges anyway? Regardless of income/benefits.