Hundreds more parents experiencing hardship will soon be able to apply for cash grants to clothe their schoolkids as long as councillors approve a paper this week. The council’s lifelong learning committee is scheduled to be asked to approve a report tomorrow giving officers licence to extend hard-up parents’ eligibility to claim for cash for school uniforms and shoes for their kids. The paper recommends elected members agree to revise existing criteria so that all parents whose children are entitled to receive free school meals during the next school term will also be able to apply for up to £100 to buy them new uniforms and footwear as well. Carers will become equally eligible to make claims under the move too. It comes after information gathered from neighbouring local authorities showed Perth and Kinross Council had “the least generous eligibility criteria for school clothing and footwear grants”. The report says parents/carers will only be able to make … [Read more...] about More parents in Perthshire to get school clothing help
Entitled to free school meals
Who is entitled to free school meals in the UK and how do you apply for your children?
FREE school dinners are available to thousands of school kids - going against the old saying that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Here's the lowdown on universal free school meals, and how to apply on behalf of YOUR kids. Who is entitled to free school meals in the UK? Under the universal free school meal system, every child in reception, year 1 and year 2 in England and Wales is entitled to a free hot lunch. This is regardless of their household income and has been the case since 2014. Parents can apply for free meals for older kids if they claim state benefits, while child asylum seekers are also granted free lunches. Those eligible include people who are paid income support, jobseeker's allowance, employment and support allowance, pension credit, child tax credit, working tax credit and universal credit. Scotland and Northern Ireland have slightly different policies. How do I apply for free school lunches for my kids? If you qualify for a free school lunch, you must let the … [Read more...] about Who is entitled to free school meals in the UK and how do you apply for your children?
Labour Group in South Lanarkshire demand apology in free school meals row
A row over failed plans to extend free school meals to all P4 and P5 pupils in South Lanarkshire has spilled over onto social media. The Labour group’s amended budget – backed by the Tories and Independents – for 2019/2020 was successfully voted through at last week’s crunch full council meeting. But it meant the proposals for school meals in the minority SNP administration’s motion were quashed. The Labour group is now accusing the SNP of falsely claiming their actions would see free school meals “stopped” or taken away from P4 and P5 pupils already entitled to them – and they are demanding a retraction. But the SNP group are refusing to do so, instead calling on Labour to “apologise for playing political games at school pupils’ expense”. Members of the SNP Group slammed Labour for “taking the food from children’s bellies” with SNP councillor Alistair Fulton (Cambuslang East) Tweeting “Thatcher … [Read more...] about Labour Group in South Lanarkshire demand apology in free school meals row
Parents asked to pay as ‘crisis’ hits school
Northern Ireland By Robbie Meredith BBC News NI Education Correspondent 10 April 2017 Share this with Facebook Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share this with Email Share this with Facebook Share this with WhatsApp Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share Share this with These are external links and will open in a new window Email Share this with Email Facebook Share this with Facebook Messenger Share this with Messenger Messenger Share this with Messenger Twitter Share this with Twitter Pinterest Share this with Pinterest WhatsApp Share this with WhatsApp LinkedIn Share this with LinkedIn Copy this link https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39546784 Read more about sharing. These are external links and will open in a new window Close share panel No education budget means parents will have to pay for … [Read more...] about Parents asked to pay as ‘crisis’ hits school
School dinners debt clampdown at Sunderland academy after overspending pupils run into the red at lunchtimes
0 Have your say A Sunderland school is launching a new ‘no debt’ policy for school meals in a bid to stop pupils overspending. St Aidan’s Catholic Academy has written to parents saying they will introduce the policy after half term. Under the system children will not be provided with a school lunch unless it is paid for, except those that are entitled to free school meals. If a parent forgets to pay in advance, the school will grant an allowance of one meal and the balance must be paid the next day.The Wearside boys’ school says the policy will hopefully help prevent students from spending their lunch money in the wrong way, such as at the shop on the way into school.Headteacher Kevin Shepherd, said in the letter: “If debts are incurred, then the school budget has to pay for them. This means that money which should be spent on the children’s education is used to cover these costs. If debts are incurred, then the school … [Read more...] about School dinners debt clampdown at Sunderland academy after overspending pupils run into the red at lunchtimes