Free school dinners....

bestpud

annaangeluk wrote: »

Not an option as I have a mortgage so would essentially end up homeless, plus I like going to work for various different reasons. It just seems unfair that people who don't work and I mean the people that choose not to not the poor sods desperately looking for work, always seem to get the extra help.

My dd has just gone back onto school dinners and I think its necessary at this time of year with the weather being so cold and the extra £8 or £9 a week that free school dinners would give us would be very welcome as after said mortgage, bills etc is paid there is never a lot of pennies left over! Oh well, it always gets paid somehow! Some months I wonder how but it always does!!

Anna x

I don't think children need a hot dinner in this climate tbh. They are in a warm school and wear coats when they go out to play. No need to wrap them in cotton wool.

We tend to mix school lunches with packed ones as we can't afford hot dinners all week either. DD tends to have two hot dinners and three packed lunches.

I see your point about benefits, but your child can manage with a packed lunch - honest!

Sorry for being a bit sharp - I do take your point, as I said.

I just get a bit fed up of people harping on about working and getting nothing etc etc, and I prefer to be working myself, even if others don't. There are lots of benefits to doing it our way, although I agree it doesn't always seem that way.

cw18

The school my GD goes to won't allow you to do 'part and part' between cooked and packed -- it's all one of the other, and two full weeks (M-F) notice to swap from one to the other.

DD pays for hot dinners, as it means she doesn't need to rush around cooking when they finally get in at night -- plus GD is more likely to eat the hot meals than a packed lunch (she used to bring at least half home with her!)

bestpud

cw18 wrote: »

The school my GD goes to won't allow you to do 'part and part' between cooked and packed -- it's all one of the other, and two full weeks (M-F) notice to swap from one to the other.

DD pays for hot dinners, as it means she doesn't need to rush around cooking when they finally get in at night -- plus GD is more likely to eat the hot meals than a packed lunch (she used to bring at least half home with her!)

That's strict!

We order on a Monday for that week but can ring before 10am on the day if we forget to send a packed lunch, or forgot to order on the Monday.

Tbh, I wouldn't worry too much if dd had two cold meals a day, so long as they are balanced iyswim?

There is nothing to say we need hot food and cold food can be just as nutritious.

May I also recommend a slow cooker? They are fab as you just stick all the stuff in in the morning and come home to a lovely hot meal. We often do the veg the night before and I turn it on before I leave.

Auzelia

bestpud wrote: »

I guess you could always give up work if you feel you'd be better off?

Oh god no!

Work is my sanity...

Dont know how im gonna cope the next 39 weeks not working :eek:

bestpud

Auzelia wrote: »

Oh god no!

Work is my sanity...

Dont know how im gonna cope the next 39 weeks not working :eek:

Mine too; I love my job!

I do nights and actually sleep better at work than I do at home, because I don't worry about things at home so much when I can't do anything about them!

I would hate to give it up.

Auzelia

my wee 16 hour a week NMW job suits me fine.
Childcare for my oldest is all set in place.
Just need to arrange childcare for the new baby once its here and im due to go back to work.
Dont know why some people find it so hard.

onetomany

i got told its £1300, what is it?

bestpud

onetomany wrote: »

i got told its £1300, what is it?

Pardon?

Perhaps I'm being daft but I have no idea what you are asking...

Auzelia

maybe they had "onetomany" :P

LizzieS_2

bestpud wrote: »

It's because CTC (and not WTC) is paid to non-working families - these are the people on income support, or the new equivalent, and they qualify for free school meals.

But it is also paid to working families who earn too much for WTC, so only get CTC. They could be earning up to almost £60k a year and only getting CTC iyswim. Clearly they would not qualify for free school meals!

For that reason they have to clarify which group they mean.

WTC is 'paid' to working families earning up to £58K per year, just they don't actually receive it as it is the first element reduced to nil due to amount of earnings. Any-one who has WTC included in their tax credit calculation, even if the eventual payment is either a combination of WTC/CTC or just CTC, will not qualify for free school meals.

You missed the other group (hence why i picked your post). Those who work less than 16 hours do not qualify for WTC, so these people can actually claim free school meals if their income for TC purposes is below £15575pa. Page 11 here:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/wtc6.pdf

Ironically there will be people who earn much less than £15575 (even with WTC element included) who are disqualified, yet there are others who earn just short of £15575 and do qualify!