School Dinners

JulietAmber_2

Hi, wonder if anyone can help.
I am really confused about the whole free school dinners/help with school trips etc.
I have 3 children, me and my partner both work. Our joint income is around £15,000 a year. We receive WTC and CTC and free prescriptions.
On the letter from school, it said that we can't apply for help towards school trips unless we are earning less than £16,000 a year - which we are. But because we get £20 a week WTC, we don't qualify. Same with school dinners.
It seems that because we get this WTC, we miss out on free school meals, help with trips, the scheme that helps children pay for outside activities and help with uniform.
School dinners alone would cost more than £20 a week for my 3 and I'd rather have that then the WTC which doesn't go very far.
Any advice?

DaisyFlower

To be fair, you'll be getting a good amount of working child tax credit not to mention three lots of child benefit. If your income is £15k combined then it would appear to be part time hours so you could look at upping the hours.

If trips are too expensive, then either ask to pay in instalments or say they cant go. Our school will let those on low incomes pay trips in instalments, it doesnt mean they simply dont expect payment.

Packed lunches can work out cheaper than dinners too.

At the end of the day you choose to have three children so need to support three children financially.

DX2

Joint income of £15,000 and only getting £20 WTC for three kids, something no right there.

problemcashback

well said, I have 2 children we work work full time and pay full price for school meals, we also have to pay for 50p on a monday to buy things for the class, can you believe it, 50p on a thurs for health tuck shop and 50p on a friday for normal tuck shop times 2. kids came in needing wellies for a school trip with one days notice and money for other things you just have to say no if you cant afford it. why should people get benefits for everything, life and school is expensive, work for it, make sure you work full time get 2 jobs, make sure you can pay your own way. school uniforms are not expensive like they used to be so why should you get help with those. sooner the government sorts out benefits the better!

devildog

It is my understanding that wtc/ctc is to feed your children(amongst other things)so they are not technically 'missing out' on free school meals.
re school trips, they usually ask for a 'voluntary' contribution and it is usually stated that no child can be excluded from a trip because of inability to pay however if enough parents do not pay then the trip may not go ahead. Schools are usually ok if there is financial hardship but they don't like it when people claim poverty and drink/smoke/holidays/designer clothes/flash car etc etc.

Victoriajayne

Hi, what is your overall annual household income when you include all your WTC and CTC, child benefit and anything else that comes in ?
If you give us the complete picture, someone may be able to offer advice based on your overall circumstances.

pwales_2

wtc stops free school meals clothing grants and free school trips

KimYeovil

pwales wrote: »

wtc stops free school meals clothing grants and free school trips

Typo - that should be a smiley face.

joanne_d_3

DX2 wrote: »

Joint income of £15,000 and only getting £20 WTC for three kids, something no right there.

Not necessarily . We have a household income of around £16k and we only receive something like £13 per week wtc. We do however receive a higher amount of CTC .

So we are actually in the same situation as the op.....we receive a total of £670 per year as working tax credits and this removes our entitlement to free school meals and help with uniform costs.

My kids however still get the school dinners (i pay for them) as the child tax credit covers the costs . I like them to have a nice meal at lunch time and i dont mind paying for it as i am of the opinion that the child tax credits exists to pay for these things.

dmg24

joanne_d wrote: »

Not necessarily . We have a household income of around £16k and we only receive something like £13 per week wtc. We do however receive a higher amount of CTC .

So we are actually in the same situation as the op.....we receive a total of £670 per year as working tax credits and this removes our entitlement to free school meals and help with uniform costs.

My kids however still get the school dinners (i pay for them) as the child tax credit covers the costs . I like them to have a nice meal at lunch time and i dont mind paying for it as i am of the opinion that the child tax credits exists to pay for these things.

In that case, you are agreeing with DX2 - you receive CTC, which the OP does not mention at all.

Victoriajayne

dmg24 wrote: »

In that case, you are agreeing with DX2 - you receive CTC, which the OP does not mention at all.

The OP does actually mention CTC ... just not how much !!!

JulietAmber wrote: »

Hi, wonder if anyone can help.
I am really confused about the whole free school dinners/help with school trips etc.
I have 3 children, me and my partner both work. Our joint income is around £15,000 a year. We receive WTC and CTC and free prescriptions.
On the letter from school, it said that we can't apply for help towards school trips unless we are earning less than £16,000 a year - which we are. But because we get £20 a week WTC, we don't qualify. Same with school dinners.
It seems that because we get this WTC, we miss out on free school meals, help with trips, the scheme that helps children pay for outside activities and help with uniform.
School dinners alone would cost more than £20 a week for my 3 and I'd rather have that then the WTC which doesn't go very far.
Any advice?