What's the answer? What needs done to improve things? I'm on a low budget and can agree with you. Kids do need nutrients and possibly I was thinking in the moment of a child needing their tummy full. That something is better than nothing. Changes need go happen for sure! It's awful that kids aren't getting what they need and in an ideal world they should be. But it's not and a full tummy is better than hunger was my point. It shouldn't be happening but clearly is.
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Just putting some scenarios out there
If you dont live in a city with an abundance of shops and you dont have a car you go to your nearest if its Coop its expensive.
Tesco metro has less range than big Tesco and costs more than out if town supermarket people drive to they have a e tier price structure.
We have Tesco Express 5mins walk we go a lot but its expensive.
Even in a city I have worked many enough areas and estates I have seen poverty 1st hand despite not living in that area.
1 area i worked in had small stretch high street, bouncer in the chemist door and post office even had security.
The giro day we use call it times were busy I worked for a food retailer so I used see what people brought.
When they get paid its live like kings but as the weeks went on the trolley would become less.
I have seen low income families feed their kids on frozen convenience foods and ready meals.
Some claim junk food is is cheaper and in some cases it is.
Many dont seem have any knowledge of cooking from scratch budgeting and making food last especially if they in cycle if teen motherhood.
I know freinds who split and their dads wont pay maintainance.
Just watching news recently about steelworks scared me we have whole towns relying on 1 unreliable employer.
Often council estates have 1 or 2 shops expensive prices.
Public transport outside of London or least where I live is extortionate so harder to shop around.
Foodbanks have increased last 10years i read about people walking 8miles to their nearest foodbank.
I believe you need be refered with voucher from nhs/ council you can just rock up abd get free food which I think most people think happens.
The trash papers like Daily Mail love a article about low income families blowing their money.
The threshold free school meals now is very low.
Which sadly means theres a group in the middle that go hungry.
Why should infants get free and juniors dont its bonkers ifs 1 good thing lib dems pushed for.
School meals here for primary junior child are £2.40 a day x20days/month is £45.60 thats some families weekly grocery budget.
Child benefit is around that for children that are not 1st born.
The threshold tax credits these days is quite low I think 24k dont quote me on it.
Universal credits also hit some families hard.
If you dont live in a city with an abundance of shops and you dont have a car you go to your nearest if its Coop its expensive.
Tesco metro has less range than big Tesco and costs more than out if town supermarket people drive to they have a e tier price structure.
We have Tesco Express 5mins walk we go a lot but its expensive.
Even in a city I have worked many enough areas and estates I have seen poverty 1st hand despite not living in that area.
1 area i worked in had small stretch high street, bouncer in the chemist door and post office even had security.
The giro day we use call it times were busy I worked for a food retailer so I used see what people brought.
When they get paid its live like kings but as the weeks went on the trolley would become less.
I have seen low income families feed their kids on frozen convenience foods and ready meals.
Some claim junk food is is cheaper and in some cases it is.
Many dont seem have any knowledge of cooking from scratch budgeting and making food last especially if they in cycle if teen motherhood.
I know freinds who split and their dads wont pay maintainance.
Just watching news recently about steelworks scared me we have whole towns relying on 1 unreliable employer.
Often council estates have 1 or 2 shops expensive prices.
Public transport outside of London or least where I live is extortionate so harder to shop around.
Foodbanks have increased last 10years i read about people walking 8miles to their nearest foodbank.
I believe you need be refered with voucher from nhs/ council you can just rock up abd get free food which I think most people think happens.
The trash papers like Daily Mail love a article about low income families blowing their money.
The threshold free school meals now is very low.
Which sadly means theres a group in the middle that go hungry.
Why should infants get free and juniors dont its bonkers ifs 1 good thing lib dems pushed for.
School meals here for primary junior child are £2.40 a day x20days/month is £45.60 thats some families weekly grocery budget.
Child benefit is around that for children that are not 1st born.
The threshold tax credits these days is quite low I think 24k dont quote me on it.
Universal credits also hit some families hard.
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I work in a school with lots of low income families and also families where frankly there is neglect going on. (Alcoholic parents, parents who don’t give a F***) and it makes me so cross that they send the children (5-16) out to school without food or any money for food.
15yr old girl lying about her age to get a job and get money for food for her and her siblings!! Desperately sad times.
Being at school, schools can pick up on children that aren’t being fed and being the type of school we are we can order extra lunches or have snacks provided and food tech is quite often eaten there and then. But other schools with cashless systems aren’t quite so forgiving. I forgot to top up my daughters ‘thumb’ and she had to go without food that day as no credit and the staff won’t give credit. It if that was my daughter everyday, how many children are hiding and not going to lunch because even though mum and dad work they have barely enough money to cover the bills and can’t afford school meals?
We live in a so called nice area but yet my daughter tells me about friends who regularly don’t have packed lunch or just have a banana or something small. It’s not because they don’t bring it with them it’s because they don’t have the food at home. She has given parts of her own lunch and brought friends lunch before.
15yr old girl lying about her age to get a job and get money for food for her and her siblings!! Desperately sad times.
Being at school, schools can pick up on children that aren’t being fed and being the type of school we are we can order extra lunches or have snacks provided and food tech is quite often eaten there and then. But other schools with cashless systems aren’t quite so forgiving. I forgot to top up my daughters ‘thumb’ and she had to go without food that day as no credit and the staff won’t give credit. It if that was my daughter everyday, how many children are hiding and not going to lunch because even though mum and dad work they have barely enough money to cover the bills and can’t afford school meals?
We live in a so called nice area but yet my daughter tells me about friends who regularly don’t have packed lunch or just have a banana or something small. It’s not because they don’t bring it with them it’s because they don’t have the food at home. She has given parts of her own lunch and brought friends lunch before.
I know I keep saying it, but surely if we capped gas/electric it would leave more in the pot for food?! I know I struggle with mine at times. I think atleast in my area they stopped free school uniforms. Uniforms can be expensive. Our primary insists on their jumpers with emblem and child's initials at £8.00 each, if you have several kids it's a worry. Families need help so they can afford to feed themselves and kids good food.
Secondary school uniform is extortionate. My daughters blazer is over £50 and the jumpers £30.
My son went to a grammar school and the three pe kits plus lab wear and summer and winter blazers and no bursary or funding. There is a reason that only certain demographics access this kind of education.
We do ok but I know we are only a few pay packets away from a crisis. So I don't judge people for struggling.
School holidays are an expensive time. You think about not only the extra food but also that’s traditionally a time for new uniform and schools shoes. I think uniform should be got rid of. If you have a tiny budget for everything and have to pay for school uniform then that budget for day to day clothing is greatly decreased. Kids can still tell who’s in the finest John Lewis/M&S uniform or the Aldi budget range. So if the clothing was from Gucci or Primark the ones who will say something will say it whether it’s about uniform or clothing.
My son went to a grammar school and the three pe kits plus lab wear and summer and winter blazers and no bursary or funding. There is a reason that only certain demographics access this kind of education.
We do ok but I know we are only a few pay packets away from a crisis. So I don't judge people for struggling.
School holidays are an expensive time. You think about not only the extra food but also that’s traditionally a time for new uniform and schools shoes. I think uniform should be got rid of. If you have a tiny budget for everything and have to pay for school uniform then that budget for day to day clothing is greatly decreased. Kids can still tell who’s in the finest John Lewis/M&S uniform or the Aldi budget range. So if the clothing was from Gucci or Primark the ones who will say something will say it whether it’s about uniform or clothing.
Exactly, so many factors involved. I stay at home because my son is high on the autism spectrum. My husband works full time but is poorly paid and up at 5am to get started for 5.30am. We have four kids my son with autism being the youngest. I worked until he was at nursery and diagnosed. We have no help and couldn't afford specialist child care. Bills are dreaded. I try to buy a bit each week with regard to school uniforms, but worry about it. So I do understand the struggle. Cheap food solves the short term problem of hunger but sadly not the long term problems.
I think its so easy to see how expensive it can be in the holidays my kids are constantly eating at the moment. I have found the past year hard financially having to pay over a grand in childcare. Thankfully we always have enough to cover the basics but it is hard.
Im a teacher and ive seen pupils coming into school hungry due to neglect and ive also seen parents trying their best but still struggling to cover basic needs.
With constant redundancies in companies. The cost of living with rent/mortgage payments, council tax, electricity/gas, water etc life is hard.
I don't think anybody has set out to have children they couldn't feed just the circumstances of life changing. I know I was made redundant last year and thankfully found another job within 6 weeks but a family member of mine who was made redundant from her job then ended up getting behind on bills/mortgage. Teenage boys constantly eating they had to visit a food bank. Luckily they managed to borrow money off their parents until they were back on their feet.
Life is hard for a lot of people sadly and skipping meals or offering small meals could be a means of still keeping a roof over their head.
Its just so sad
Im a teacher and ive seen pupils coming into school hungry due to neglect and ive also seen parents trying their best but still struggling to cover basic needs.
With constant redundancies in companies. The cost of living with rent/mortgage payments, council tax, electricity/gas, water etc life is hard.
I don't think anybody has set out to have children they couldn't feed just the circumstances of life changing. I know I was made redundant last year and thankfully found another job within 6 weeks but a family member of mine who was made redundant from her job then ended up getting behind on bills/mortgage. Teenage boys constantly eating they had to visit a food bank. Luckily they managed to borrow money off their parents until they were back on their feet.
Life is hard for a lot of people sadly and skipping meals or offering small meals could be a means of still keeping a roof over their head.
Its just so sad
It's just so heartbreaking and eye opening reading this thread. I wish there was something we could do, i feel like in 2019 in one of the richest countries in the world we shouldn't have kids going to school hungry, and kids pretending to be 16 to work to feed themselves/siblings.
Other than donating more to food banks, and packing extras in to the kids lunchboxes I wouldn't know where to even begin to help
Other than donating more to food banks, and packing extras in to the kids lunchboxes I wouldn't know where to even begin to help
You speak much sense bumblebee I agree with so many points.
I have 3 kids in 3 different schools.
2 allow 1 days debt school dinners and online payments.
I think senior school kitchen is provided in house.
The 2 primaries school kitchen is no longer council run its been privatised and run by private companies called dolce and Integra.
They are less forgiving with debts and zero flexibility.
Primary is 2.40 a day seniors is 2.60.
Bus fare to senior school is 2.50 a day.
Breakfasts or tuck bar morning break we top up money online additional to lunches we normallly add £1 a day.
So senior school child £ 3.60 a day food plus £2.50 a day bus costs £6.10 a day to get fed and have a education
£122 per month!
Uniforms when she started year 6 was over £500 state academy.
Other average academies are £300 to 400 parents to use only 1 uniform provider shop not supermarkets non logo.
I underestimated how costly a senior age child is.
My 2 younger kids go on year 6 residential trip the same year £800 as 400 each for less than a week in the UK.
Year 6 costly time leavers proms, leavers hoodys.
Presents for teachers has reached insane levels tbe pressure of class collections seen 1 mum shamed for giving very little made me so angry.
A council who split sliblings cant be 1 places at once at Primary age so additional travel costs and some childcare as cant be at 2 schools miles apart at the same time and they too young to make their own way to and from school know a few people in that situation.
School trips additional.
A freimd had to go begging to the head to get help with cost of trips and it's discretionary and very embarrassing for some families.
School's budgets cut so they constantly fundraising pushy pta mums also numerous charity days we supposed to create outfits at last minute and take in money.
I dont remember half of this when i grew up in the 80s. Times have changed.
Yes, of course a fed child is better than a hungry child. I think what needs to be done is beyond you or me or anyone here - I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on anything, but a good place to start would be to look at what other countries are doing that makes them better than us. It’s definitely possible for the situation to be improved and I hope for the sake of everyone that this happens sooner rather than later
It’s just amazes me that people would think that parents that are struggling to feed their children need reminders of how much of a failure they should be made to feel. People have different struggles in life, but the one that it’s no doubt the hardest is to not be able to provide for your own. The fact that I shouldn’t have any children because I might not be able to feed them one day, that’s not the thought that crosses your mind when thinking about having children, a lot crosses your mind but to not be able to provide for them it’s not one of them. Unfortunately there’s a lot of children in a country like this that seem to go to bed and the only hot meal they seem to have it’s a school, so when they on school holidays it’s worrying. This government seem to have money to pay to those you do nothing and not help enough those you do! They don’t seem to look after their own first before thinking about anyone’s else. There’s the elderly that don’t seem to have enough money for heating and there’s children that go hungry. It’s the 21st century, and unfortunately it’s a reality! Life throws us into some unfortunate situations. If you can feed your children, have a roof over your head, and can afford many other things, then you should feel blessed.
This is why I’m so infuriated by these influencers ( mummy floggers) they are give so much free and also paid extortionate amounts of money to advertise stuff yet constantly moan! It’s very easy to think people shouldn’t have kids if they can’t afford them abdbin some cases it’s true! However for a lot of people who are just about getting by school holidays push them just over tipping point. Mrs Meldrum turning up to the food bank empty handed 
I would hate to live in a world where anyone would think we are not all responsible for little ones. I give what I can, I’m lucky, my child has never gone hungry, had always had a secure home, so if I can help in anyway for those that don’t I will.
I would hate to live in a world where anyone would think we are not all responsible for little ones. I give what I can, I’m lucky, my child has never gone hungry, had always had a secure home, so if I can help in anyway for those that don’t I will.A weeks free hello fresh come in handy.This is why I’m so infuriated by these influencers ( mummy floggers) they are give so much free and also paid extortionate amounts of money to advertise stuff yet constantly moan! It’s very easy to think people shouldn’t have kids if they can’t afford them abdbin some cases it’s true! However for a lot of people who are just about getting by school holidays push them just over tipping point. Mrs Meldrum turning up to the food bank empty handed
There’s many contributing factors as to why people that used to be able to afford the basics are now struggling. Prices have gone up, bus fairs, trains, gas, electricity, water, council tax, rent, and food, food bills are the worse. And the wages seem to be the same, therefore people do struggle with certain things, the uncertainty of Brexit as hit hard business, and it has taken its toll and people are feeling the pinch. The poor are getting poorer and the rich richer. Something needs to be done to make sure children don’t go to bed hungry.
I won't lie I have really bothered about offending and annoying or worse upsetting ppl with my posts. Not my intention and it's a sad world we're even having to discuss it. Parenthood is hard and more when money is tight! I'm happy to admit I didn't initially consider transport into my equation. I don't have the answer on how to stop it either. But The powers that be need to really start tackling the issue. Food banks are a godsend to some..But if you can't access them for transportation reasons etc. What on earth do you do?
The government is the problem! When news like this make the national papers......
I think the level of ignorance displayed on this thread is crazy.
A large proportion of people who use food banks do so due to changes in benefits, delays in receiving benefits or benefits being cut or stopped.
Other people suffer through things like being made redundant, losing a job, zero hours contracts, the household earner dying, an illness in the family, looking after children that aren’t biologically yours for other family members. A large household expenditure that wipes out your excess cash.
Summer holidays may also bring increased childcare costs for a lot of families, expenditures on new school uniforms etc.
If you already struggle month to month and work cash in hand while your kids are in school then over the summer that may not be an option. So you’re short on money and have extra meals to account for over the week.
It’s all well and good saying ‘you can get xyz from Aldi for £40’ but if after you’ve paid your essentials your in the red then where is that £40 coming from?
Regardless of whose to blame the reality is that there are children going hungry over the holidays.
A large proportion of people who use food banks do so due to changes in benefits, delays in receiving benefits or benefits being cut or stopped.
Other people suffer through things like being made redundant, losing a job, zero hours contracts, the household earner dying, an illness in the family, looking after children that aren’t biologically yours for other family members. A large household expenditure that wipes out your excess cash.
Summer holidays may also bring increased childcare costs for a lot of families, expenditures on new school uniforms etc.
If you already struggle month to month and work cash in hand while your kids are in school then over the summer that may not be an option. So you’re short on money and have extra meals to account for over the week.
It’s all well and good saying ‘you can get xyz from Aldi for £40’ but if after you’ve paid your essentials your in the red then where is that £40 coming from?
Regardless of whose to blame the reality is that there are children going hungry over the holidays.
haydot. Completely agree. I can’t beleive how far removed some people are from being able to see that if you have no money even finding £5 to buy a bag/tin of lentils and some tomatoes and pasta to make a healthy nutritious dish. Let alone have the cash to pay the electric/gas bill.
I’m grateful every day that we can feed our own children and clothe them and have choice.
I’m grateful every day that we can feed our own children and clothe them and have choice.
I have said that bills are crippling ppl I have said I didn't consider all factors too. It's why we discuss things to gain a full view of situations. It's ignorance to not accept others views and possibly change your own when you have considered new and all the information. I'm prepared to accept it's not black and white.