Do School Trip Fees subsidise non-payers?

Soleil_lune

Janepig wrote: »

I disagree. It galls me that the people who really are struggling are the ones who aren't entitled to help. Why should I scrimp to subsidise a trip that someone else could easily afford but choses not to? As someone else has pointed out, what is child benefit for? Surely it doesn't come as a surprise that you may be asked to pay for the odd trip when your child is in school. What about you use some of the £40 a month you've got from not paying for dinners? No, it irks me that it's the ones who really struggle who don't get help, and just because children are involved it gets emotive.

Jx

Couldn't agree more. :T

And contrary to what some are saying, the kids who have FSD often DO get free trips. Certainly in the county I live anyway.

Janepig

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

You don't get cash to pay for free school dinners; it's a credit applied at the school precisely because it's recognised that the level of benefits paid is not enough to cover the cost of the meals.


And I can't speak for everybody, but I know the Child Benefit went on little inconveniences like paying for food, clothing, lighting, heating, furniture, materials for school, school uniform, PE kit and everything else my girls needed, rather than school trips.

I know how free school meals works thanks. And see my other post, it's one less bill to pay.

Surely lighting, heating and furniture would come out of your main income, not CB. My CB goes into a separate bank account so I can use it for clothes, uniform and trips,etc, for my two. Time was it all went into one pot, but in these straightened times I find I have to keep a closer eye on where everything is going.

Jx

kingfisherblue

My children get free school meals, but have always had to pay for trips. The one time I really couldnt afford it was when my (now ex) husband had left me a few days earlier and I was in the process of claiming benefits. He literally left me penniless, and I can't work as I care for our severely disabled child. When I received a letter from the school asking for money for one of my boys to go on a school trip, I spoke to the bursar and explained that I just didn't have the money, but was willing to pay as soon as I received my first benefit payment. She said that I didnt need to pay at all, but I did take in the money the following week - my child, my responsibility to pay for him. Luckily I have always kept a full freezer and store cupboard, so only had to buy fresh bread, milk, etc for a couple of weeks.

When my three children were born, I was married and we were both working. Circumstances can change very quickly, and it's possible to go from managing reasonably well financially to hitting rock bottom. People should be less quick to judge.

Now, even though I am still on benefits, I pop a couple of pounds into a pot on my bedside whenever I can afford to. This helps to pay towards school trips and any other expenses that come up (such as the £15 for my son to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award).

peachyprice

Janepig wrote: »

It's £40 more than I would have if I didn't send mine in with a packed lunch. It's one less bill to pay, that's my point.



One of my friends has had a letter home from her son's comp for a skiing trip with two prices. One full price, another price for the "less well off". Not an educational trip, a fun one. My friend's son isn't going because she can't afford full whack and isn't entitled to the reduced cost.

Jx

But it's not other parents who are subsidising the trip, it's the school.

And really, I don't think that's the norm TBH. Most schools send letters out with one price and ask parents having financial difficulties to contact them.

Soleil_lune

If people are getting free school meals, yes it IS the meals and not the cash, but they will STILL be £40 a month better off than people who have to pay for their kids meals. I would have thought that would have been OBVIOUS that this is what Janepig meant!

peachyprice

Soleil_lune wrote: »

If people are getting free school meals, yes it IS the meals and not the cash, but they will STILL be £40 a month better off than people who have to pay for their kids meals. I would have thought that would have been OBVIOUS that this is what Janepig meant!

It's more likely they'd sent their child in with a scant packed lunch than find the £40 cash for school dinners. So no it's not obvious because it's not necessarily the case.

kingfisherblue

Soleil_lune wrote: »

And contrary to what some are saying, the kids who have FSD often DO get free trips. Certainly in the county I live anyway.

Not in my youngest son's school. This didn't happen in my daughter's school either, although she has left now and is working. My older son attends a special school and they have trips out regularly, using the school minibuses. As these trips are part of the curriculum for life skills, we are not charged. I assume that there is some funding from the LA for this, but the school does a lot of fund raising as well. Trips include things like visiting the supermarket, as well as museums though.

Soleil_lune

kingfisherblue wrote: »

My children get free school meals, but have always had to pay for trips. The one time I really couldnt afford it was when my (now ex) husband had left me a few days earlier and I was in the process of claiming benefits. He literally left me penniless, and I can't work as I care for our severely disabled child. When I received a letter from the school asking for money for one of my boys to go on a school trip, I spoke to the bursar and explained that I just didn't have the money, but was willing to pay as soon as I received my first benefit payment. She said that I didnt need to pay at all, but I did take in the money the following week - my child, my responsibility to pay for him. Luckily I have always kept a full freezer and store cupboard, so only had to buy fresh bread, milk, etc for a couple of weeks.

When my three children were born, I was married and we were both working. Circumstances can change very quickly, and it's possible to go from managing reasonably well financially to hitting rock bottom. People should be less quick to judge.

Now, even though I am still on benefits, I pop a couple of pounds into a pot on my bedside whenever I can afford to. This helps to pay towards school trips and any other expenses that come up (such as the £15 for my son to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award).

Who is judging?! Nobody is judging on here; Are people not entitled to an opinion? People are merely pointing out that some people who work, are not necessarily better off financially than people claiming benefits, and yet the people on benefits seem to get all the concessions. It makes you wonder if it's worth working when you don't seem to be any better off than those who don't!

Moreover, whilst there are plenty like you (from what you say; someone who is/was genuinely in need,) there are also some who milk the system, royally, and think the country owes them a living.

kingfisherblue

Soleil_lune wrote: »

Nobody is benefit-bashing on here; merely pointing out that some people who work, are not necessarily better off financially than people claiming benefits, and yet the people on benefits seem to get all the concessions. It makes you wonder if it's worth working when you don't seem to be any better off than those who don't!

I didnt mean that anyone was benefit bashing, I was merely responding to the posts that suggested that those on FSM didn't pay for trips or had them subsidised. We don't always have concessions made corus, at least not in my area.

Incidentally, I agree that those working may not always be able to afford trips etc either.

ETA, and yes, I agree that there are many who milk the system! Of course people are entitled to an opinion, but I felt judged in that some posters were not happy about subsidising those who don't pay. Whilst I agree that there are some who can pay but don't, there are also some who can't afford to pay.

Soleil_lune

kingfisherblue wrote: »

Not in my youngest son's school. This didn't happen in my daughter's school either, although she has left now and is working. My older son attends a special school and they have trips out regularly, using the school minibuses. As these trips are part of the curriculum for life skills, we are not charged. I assume that there is some funding from the LA for this, but the school does a lot of fund raising as well. Trips include things like visiting the supermarket, as well as museums though.

Well they certainly do where I live... They had a trip once, to an outward bound centre, and it was £150 for 5 days, and the people with kids who got FSD did not have to pay, but my friend did. So it's not necessarily just the little, cheap trips either.