Refused free school dinners

simonrudd

Hi,

a while ago i applied for free school dinners for my daughter who is 8. Today i got a letter telling me my application has been refused. I phoned them and asked them why, apparently its because i get working tax credits. Now i am self employed but my earnings are very low less then 2k a year.

We currently get child tax credits and working tax credits, basically we are a family of 4 who live of £180 a week for all of our expenses.

is there any way around this - my partner doesn't currently work - if she applied would she also be refused?

thanks

Simon

marydot

Hi i found the following info on this website, i did not want to post a link because im not sure if links are allowed to be posted, but here is the info.


You are entitled to Free School Meals for your children if you receive:

• Income Support, or
• Job Seeker's Allowance (Income Based), or
• State Pension Credit (Guaranteed Credit), or
• Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related) , or
• Child Tax Credit and have an annual gross income as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs which does not exceed £16,040.00.

You will not be entitled to Free School Meals If you, or your partner, receive any Working Tax Credit on a regular basis.

However, from the 1st May 2009 where a parent is entitled to Working TaxCredit RunOn during the four week period immediately after their employment ceases, or after they start to work less than 16 hours per week, their children are entitled to Free School Meals.

simonrudd

hiya,

thanks for the info - it seems very silly to me

OrkneyStar

Are you just starting up your business ? Perhaps you (or OH) need to get another job in the meantime (even a few hours), as realistically £2K (plus benefits) is not liveable on for your family.

simonrudd

sadly i've been doing this for a few years now but still am not earning a lot of money - i write and do art for books and magazines but its a hard business to break into.

surfsister

yes I was refused too yet the council next door do pay to all epople on low incoime and give free bus travle whereas ours is £132 a term. Citizens advice told me i'd be much better off on benefits!

Also if self employed how do you et rouind the 16 hr a wewk rule? I wanted to start a buisness but thought you couldn't the get tex ceedits?

simonrudd

surfsister wrote: »

yes I was refused too yet the council next door do pay to all epople on low incoime and give free bus travle whereas ours is £132 a term. Citizens advice told me i'd be much better off on benefits!

Also if self employed how do you et rouind the 16 hr a wewk rule? I wanted to start a buisness but thought you couldn't the get tex ceedits?

its really not fair - the woman next door earns a hell of a lot more than me and gets free school dinners. i was told i had to work more than 30 hours a week to qualify for tax credits. i'd be a lot better of just signing on - not that i ever want to do that again.

welshmoneylover

If you claim wtc you cannot claim free school meals however low your income is.

simonrudd

it seems that way doesnt it

alwaysonthego_2

You only have to work 16 hours to get WTC if you have dependent children or are disabled.

sulkisu

simonrudd wrote: »

its really not fair - the woman next door earns a hell of a lot more than me and gets free school dinners. i was told i had to work more than 30 hours a week to qualify for tax credits. i'd be a lot better of just signing on - not that i ever want to do that again.

But seriously, if you have been doing this work for a few years, and are still unable to make a decent living or earn enough to support you and your family - £2000 is insufficient - it might be time to rethink your career. I don't think going back to the dole is the solution. The answer must surely be finding a job (any job), which pays more than you are currently earning.