Moral dilemma - Free School Meals

[Looking for help]

I don't think you can opt out of CB, can you? Also claiming allows you to build up National Insurance contributions toward your pension (state) - so stay at home mum's accrue the same as working ones. Lots of parents don't need them, and lots of parents won't be getting them either come 2012. However, schools with dwindling budgets do need all the help they can get, I would encourage anyone who is entitled to fill in the form from school, saying they are entitled, whether they claim or not is up to them. I have to say, the way a lot of schools deal with FSM leaves a lot to be desired, claimants should be able to do so without fear of being stigmatised, stories my own children have told about people having to collect tokens to do so makes them stand out, and that shouldn't be the case.

[cinnamon]

I don't think you can opt out of CB, can you?

Things may have changed since I had a 'new' child to claim for but, surely, if you don't want to claim Child Benefit, you simply don't apply for it. Or did you mean opting out once you've already claimed? I suspect the latter would be something of a bureaucratic nightmare, involving endless phone calls listening to a choice of options to press and uncomprehending staff when you finally reached a real person.

[KS10]

I don't remember applying for it for either child.

[mystery]

Oh you definitely apply for it. And as someone pointed out, for a parent who is not working, being in receipt of child benefit means that years are added to your state pension. If you don't claim it, or the other parent claims it, you have to pay a massive amount of NI to make up the gap.

With the coalition plan to scrap child benefit for the better off, I don't know if this has knock-on effect for the state pension too.

[moved]

I think that you should let the school know that you are eligible and let them know that you do not require them to provide you with assistance for meals.

[succeed]

Maybe I'm missing something, but i'm not sure how you can be eligible for fsm, but not actually need it, bearing in mind it is means tested? Personally, i think if you do not need it , you are not eligible (morally, anyway!) and therefore should not claim it for the school or otherwise. .. yes, the school may want it, who wouldn't, but that doesn't make it right though.

[zee]

Maybe I'm missing something, but i'm not sure how you can be eligible for fsm, but not actually need it, bearing in mind it is means tested?

The very first post explains it:

For reasons known only to Gordon Brown when he invented the tax credit system, maintenance does not count as "income" for tax purposes.

[succeed]

Oops! Yes, missed that vital clue!

Certainly sheds light on the issue. My view though remains unchanged.Schools are assessed on the value they add to children from under privileged backgrounds and so schools claiming this are 'skewing' the value added, as well as claiming money for children where it could be better spent on schools where children actually need it.

[Looking for help]

I don't think the OP is taking money from others who actually need it. She is in the position due to her own earnings being small, and therefore falling into the bracket eligible for FSMs. Everyone falling into this bracket can surely claim it. She is very lucky in knowing that it is not necessary because of her personal circumstances and is simply asking for advice on what she should do because she doesn't want the school to lose out. I can't see how this can skew the value added for the school.

[C. J.]

I DO think the money should be claimed as the school will be granted money back which they will then spend for the benefit of all pupils, however I would like to add my own personal rant to this as the whole tax credits / maintenance / income system makes me crazy.

If the system stays as it does, then when the OPs children are old enough to go to university then even if she is still getting solid maintenance payments from her ex-husband, they will still be eligible for a full grant. And of course they should claim this, moral dilemma or not, the money is there to be claimed.

But, as a single parent by virtue of being widowed, the benefit we receive from the state IS counted as taxable income and thus although having less 'money' than a friend in the OP's position, her children get full grants and mine get partial ones. I don't begrudge them the grant itself, but it does make me want to bite Gordon.