Free school meals can anyone help

ellionic · 31 October 2008 at 4:41PM

Hi my bf has been made redundant and we have put a claim in today for income based job seekers. but they say it will be a couple of weeks before the award is through and we are slowly running out of money and what we do have will have to be spent on food shopping tomorrow to last us over next couple of weeks.
I have asked job centre about free school meals and was told we had to wait until the award comes though but what do we do until then.
I have also rang my local council and tax credits and nobody will help me.

Does anyone know if schools let your children have them before your award is through

Paparika · 31 October 2008 at 4:46PM

get the form from school and take it to benefits agency to stamp

ellionic · 31 October 2008 at 4:52PM

Thanks for that but benefits say they cant help until they look at claim and they say it will take two week they said we might not be entitled to anything cant see how when we have no money coming in part from child ben and child tax credit. This is the first time me and my bf have ever claimed benefits so aint got a clue

clairec79 · 31 October 2008 at 7:03PM

Check with the school, admittedly it was 4 or so years ago but my daughters school let her have the free school meals and said if we didn't produce the award notice (I think by half term) then we had to pay the arrears

lil_me · 31 October 2008 at 7:18PM

Go to the school, explain you're waiting for the award letter to be sent out can your child please have their FSM and you will get the letter to them asap, worst they can say is no. Of course if they don't award you Income based JSA/Income support you will need to repay them. Most schools don't have a problem doing this, of course school funding also increases if there is more children on FSM

SuziQ · 31 October 2008 at 8:24PM

It does depend on the school though-my youngest son's wouldn't allow me to do this whilst the eldest was allowed to get his meal free whilst waiting for insome support award.

ellionic · 31 October 2008 at 11:02PM

Thanks for all the replys will go straight into school when term starts on monday. Never knew benefits were such a chew glad we only got to sign on and claim until my bfs CRB comes back he been offered job on taxis never filled as many forms in and i am dreading my phone bill