Free School Meals

[Ermieox]

I am currently out of work on long-term sick and in receipt of ESA (contribution based) and this is topped up by working tax credit. My contract of employment has been terminated and I therefore have no job to go back to once I am back in good health.
My question is, why have I been turned down for free school meals when my only source of income is Benefit? Apparently the ESA has to be income based not contribution based. What's the difference does anyone know? It seems totally ridiculous to me as I now have to find £10 a week for my son to get a hot meal at school every day!

[B00]

I can't answer the question as to why you can't have free meals provided for your son, but I do have to question why you feel you HAVE to provide £10.00 a week for a "hot meal" at school?

Why can't he have sandwiches premade by yourself? I'm willing to bet he doesn't eat all of every single dinner put before him anyway, and did you know that at least one school dinner a week is sandwiches anyway? As long he gets a hot meal for his tea when he gets home he'll probably be far better off with sandwches anyway, not to mention your purse!

[ummmm]

They don't serve sandwiches at my sons school BOO....

[B00]

Well im willing to stand corrected on that point then Ummmm ;-) They did when my eldest was at school.

I'm still right on my other point though.

[ummmm]

Yea you are but if she hasn't got an income she should get free school meals. There was a time when I got laid off, applied for whatever benefits and got nothing. I was living on handouts from my family....it took them 6 months to sort out my claim.

I never claimed for free school meals but the school my eldest 2 went to, who knew my situation, gave it to them off their own back.....and they still check to make sure things are still going well.

(my Dad was dying at this time...that's why I didn't (couldn't)get another job)

[PeteHull]

Being in the employment as a school caretaker, I will point out one thing, when your child sits and has dinner (provided by school) they are monitored more that the ones who have packed lunches. If you saw the amount of packed lunch sandwiches (unopened) thrown in the bins you would cringe, and I don't think our school will be any different to any other, the L/T supervisors can't force children to eat thier dinners whereas they do give them little lectures on the benifits of proper nourishment, seeing some of the stuff they get packed up, I can't for the life of me see what they could tell those children, maybe it IS better they throw some of it away.....
Pete

[B00]

Yep she may be, as ive said before I really don't know how she'll go about delving deeper into founding out, hopefully someone will come along soon who can help in that regard, in the meantime though I fail to see why she can't make him butties whilst it's getting sorted out.

[ummmm]

Which can be cheaper I agree.....but when you're on a tight budget it's hard work....I must admit though, I'm very fussy about food. I did learn how to cook good decent food from next to nothing. Being an optimist I think I learnt a valuable lesson by having no money. Something that I still use today even though we have plenty spare.....

I think they should bring back school milk as well. I use to love my milk at break time.

[B00]

They still have free milk uptil they're 5, yes I know, whoppie doo...lol

Mini Boo is on it until December when she turns 5, then it will be £6 per term, which I don't think its bad really.

[ummmm]

Oh do they?

Ours have fruit at break time for 20p a day.

[Ermieox]

He has always had school dinners because when I worked and got home late his childminder would only ever give him sandwiches for tea rather than a hot meal so at least with a school dinner I could be sure he was getting at least one decent meal on a school day. On the odd occasions he has taken sandwiches he has brought back half of his lunchbox contents claiming there wasn't time to eat it.

Yes I can make sandwiches although do resent spending money I haven't got on food that will most likely end up being thrown away but that really isn't my point. Having worked my arse off and paid all my taxes for many years, I now find myself in a situation where because some beaurocratic numptee ticked the 'contribution based' box rather than the 'income based' box I am being penalised! Apparently the only difference between the two is that contribution based isn't means tested.

Anyway, as a single parent with a child under 10 they've now told me I can claim Income Support rather than ESA until my doctor considers me fit for work and that way I will get free school meals. No idea why they didn't tell me that in the first place! Doesn't make any difference to me financially apart from the fact that he will be able to have a hot meal at lunch time and I won't have to fork out for it!

Thanks for all the input though everyone, much appreciated.

[ummmm]

Good....I'm glad it's sorted.

[zzxxee]

why not give him a packed lunch or as your home let him come home for lunch?