Child Tax Credits and Free School Dinners

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  • gravitytolls
    gravitytolls Posts: 13,558 Forumite
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    I wouldn't allow my children to have free school meals anyhoo. I allow my children school dinner once a week as atreat.

    Last week Martha, year 2 had on rosat day - 1 roast potato, 1 spoonful of veg and one slice of meat, followed by a yoghurt.

    For this I pay £1.75!!!!

    Her sister is year 4, and she had the same but with one more potato.

    Boy, the catering companies must be making a MINT out of children receiving free school meals.

    Thank Heavens we're not dependant on the school meal system to provide a hot dinner.

    Free school meals are designed to enable the poorest children to have a hot meal, thereby lessening the burden on poor families. I can't see that htis is really happening any more, as the emphasis is on profit not nutrition.
    I ave a dodgy H, so sometimes I will sound dead common, on occasion dead stupid and rarely, pig ignorant. Sometimes I may be these things, but I will always blame it on my dodgy H.

    Sorry, I'm a bit of a grumble weed today, no offence intended ... well it might be, but I'll be sorry.
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,151 Forumite
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    YvonneCrossland wrote:
    I was told on numerous occasions that the Child Tax Credit is to pay for school meals & a percentage towards uniform (although you can claim upto £25 extra for uniforms too)



    Yvonne
    By whom? Do you mean you are claiming IS so are entitled to free school dinners or do you mean you work and claim WTC and have been told the amount there covers dinners?

    I was under the impression that the same income and same number of kids would give the same amount of tax credit money regardless of whether the child is a pre-schooler or at full-time school.
    (This assumes that all children are over one as there is an extra baby element and the childcare costs if any are same and there are no disabilities in family.)
  • princessmoneysaver
    princessmoneysaver Posts: 15,895 Forumite
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    I don't work (well not paid anyway) but hubby works over 37 hours a week so we get WTC & CTC. If you are paid CTC straight into your bank this is to help you pay towards school meals if you wish to - I always send my daughter with a healthy packed lunch A) So I know what she eats & B) So I can see she is eating a proper lunch not just part of a lunch.
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  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,151 Forumite
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    YvonneCrossland wrote:
    I don't work (well not paid anyway) but hubby works over 37 hours a week so we get WTC & CTC. If you are paid CTC straight into your bank this is to help you pay towards school meals if you wish to - I always send my daughter with a healthy packed lunch A) So I know what she eats & B) So I can see she is eating a proper lunch not just part of a lunch.
    Right with you- I thought you meant you got a seperate (extra) amount towards school dinners. You'd receive the same money even if you children were pre-schoolage (but over 1).
  • princessmoneysaver
    princessmoneysaver Posts: 15,895 Forumite
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    I think, if I'm right, you get slightly more if they are over 1 but under 3/4 (I.E meaning 3/4 starting at Nursery/Pre-school etc) to pay for the extra you would have to feed them at home.

    A friend of mine got almost £110 a week CTC for 2 children before her eldest started Nursery. Now with the eldest at school & the youngest still at home she gets £70 a week whereas I only get £40 because I have one child who is at school & I got £60 before.
    2023 wins - Rice Krispies, Avene Micellar Gel, Barbie Toy, £20 Apple Gift Card, KFC 6 piece bargain bucket, Chloe Nomade perfume, Barbie Toy (second one), Sanctuary Spa Sleep Balm, E45 Moisturising Lotion, Trolls Hamper, 12 Tonie Characters, Sure deodorant, Good Home Utensil holder, £5 Costa Gift Card, Neutrogena Micellar Jelly, Soap & Glory Mascara, Persil capsules,  
  • irs101
    irs101 Posts: 250 Forumite
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    YvonneCrossland wrote:
    I think, if I'm right, you get slightly more if they are over 1 but under 3/4 (I.E meaning 3/4 starting at Nursery/Pre-school etc) to pay for the extra you would have to feed them at home.

    A friend of mine got almost £110 a week CTC for 2 children before her eldest started Nursery. Now with the eldest at school & the youngest still at home she gets £70 a week whereas I only get £40 because I have one child who is at school & I got £60 before.

    No, there's no more money in Child Tax Credit for pre-school children who are over one year old.

    irs
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,151 Forumite
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    YvonneCrossland wrote:
    I think, if I'm right, you get slightly more if they are over 1 but under 3/4 (I.E meaning 3/4 starting at Nursery/Pre-school etc) to pay for the extra you would have to feed them at home.

    A friend of mine got almost £110 a week CTC for 2 children before her eldest started Nursery. Now with the eldest at school & the youngest still at home she gets £70 a week whereas I only get £40 because I have one child who is at school & I got £60 before.
    It's news to me all this. For the first year of babys life you get an additional £545p.a-called the baby element. This stops once child reaches 1st birthday. I thought it then didn't matter if they're 3 or 13 (assuming no childcare costs)you would get same amount. Are you sure your amount hasn't changed because of a change in your income rather than to do with childs age.

    Prior to your friends eldest starting school was she getting help with childcare costs? This would have made a difference to the amount of money she received

    BTW-who's told you that it is money to help with feeding children?
  • princessmoneysaver
    princessmoneysaver Posts: 15,895 Forumite
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    When my daughter started school our income never changed, it has just gone up in June this year - no other time at all.

    My friend had no help with childcare costs, she stayed at home to look after the children while her partner works.

    The money is not just for food for the child(ren) but to help in other ways too, like for clothes & days out etc which then goes down when child(ren) is at school.

    My local Inland Revenue Officer told me all this.
    2023 wins - Rice Krispies, Avene Micellar Gel, Barbie Toy, £20 Apple Gift Card, KFC 6 piece bargain bucket, Chloe Nomade perfume, Barbie Toy (second one), Sanctuary Spa Sleep Balm, E45 Moisturising Lotion, Trolls Hamper, 12 Tonie Characters, Sure deodorant, Good Home Utensil holder, £5 Costa Gift Card, Neutrogena Micellar Jelly, Soap & Glory Mascara, Persil capsules,  
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,151 Forumite
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    YvonneCrossland wrote:
    When my daughter started school our income never changed, it has just gone up in June this year - no other time at all.

    My friend had no help with childcare costs, she stayed at home to look after the children while her partner works.

    The money is not just for food for the child(ren) but to help in other ways too, like for clothes & days out etc which then goes down when child(ren) is at school.

    My local Inland Revenue Officer told me all this.
    Have you done a re-assessment so you have reported a different income in the different tax years rather than it be to do with your childs age.Also if you've had an overpayment (for whatever reason) that might be a reason for your reduced amount now.

    The money is yours to spend as you wish, so yes can include money for dinners etc but you get no more money for a pre-schooler than a different age child.

    I thought this was the case but I've only just seen irs101 post confirming this. When you go on the 'entitled to' website it doesn't ask you for your childs age (other than if you have child under one).

    You and your friend should check your entitlement to see if you are getting correct money
  • rabialiones
    rabialiones Posts: 1,957 Forumite
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    we receive wft credit. do u have to apply separately for the child tax credit. we thought it was the same thing.
    also should we be able to get help with nursery for 2and half year old .i am at home but his dad works.
    please help.
    Nice to save.
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