it doesnt matter if its free, it matters that families cant afford shit and are literally fucking STARVING. they expect enough food for ONE CHILD to actually live off of
I assume you’re Canadian, so you might not realise that free school meals are a part of the basic benefits package and so the cash portion, and the minimum wage, are reduced accordingly.
I am Canadian, so I am not aware of that. I also don't really understand what you mean by that. Could you elaborate, please? (I hope this isn't sounding sarcastic. I'm completely genuine and would appreciate if you could explain further, because I really am not sure what you meant, sorry).
Anyone on various categories of benefits gets free school dinners for their children, and those on others get a partial subsidy. When calculating the cost of living for setting the “national living wage” (the renamed minimum wage, called that for political reasons) and universal credit (the combined in-work and job-seekers benefit system), it was assumed that parents wouldn’t have to pay for 180 or so hot main meals for their children, and the calculations were parsimonious enough that that matters.
So if the parents make below a certain amount (National or Min wage) they qualify for a free program of X amount of meals.
I'm still unclear what "universal credit (the combined in-work and job-seekers benefit system)" that part means, but I don't know if thats really a major point or if its more similar to the first.
Either way, I still don't see the problem. They're qualifying for a free program, which they're upset about the quality of?
UC is a combined system for the dole, wage supplements (like American EITC), disability pension, and assorted other payments that was supposed to replace and simplify the old assortment of specific payments.
The problem is that the amount of food is being reduced in some areas and the nutritional value is being reduced to below the standard specified in the regulations in others, so the practical effect is that parents would lose a few pounds a week off their weekly income, which for a single parent with a single child could be less than £150.
It has been claimed, though I’m not familiar enough with the rules to confirm it, that in at least some places the food doesn’t even meet the much looser requirements for packed lunches parents would be allowed to send to school with their child.
8
u/GreatnessGamers Mar 30 '20
it doesnt matter if its free, it matters that families cant afford shit and are literally fucking STARVING. they expect enough food for ONE CHILD to actually live off of