What Will You Do With 10 Million Frozen Pensioners, Rachel?

I agree that breakfast clubs are a good idea. Children can't learn if they're hungry and they are our future workers

ronib

MayBee70 as usual not targeted as the children most in need and given to all primary school children even the wealthy ones.

Absolutely agree! I support Breakfast Clubs 100% for those that need them. I remember my son getting up early back in the noughtes when he was still at school (senior) to go to a Breakfast Club, and me offering him money because I didn't know they were free for everyone, he didn't need a free breakfast, he was going to meet up with a few mates. I was annoyed it was being offered to all and sundry when it should have been there for those that needed it.

I buy and read the Guardian and the Observer - and the I.

Totally agree Lisa A. But I am guessing that the current generation of "parents" have absolutely no idea how to boil an egg!

Toetoe

May I suggest that anyone seriously worried about keeping warm this winter contact their local Age UK. There is something called Household Support Fund . This fund will help towards your heating costs . If eligible you can receive up to £200 . It's worth a phone call . I also know in certain areas there is a cut off date for claiming .

OVO gave me a heated blanket last year :-). I don't know if they're still giving them away.

dalrymple23

Totally agree Lisa A. But I am guessing that the current generation of "parents" have absolutely no idea how to boil an egg!

Why did you put parents in inverted commas?

TerriBull

ronib

MayBee70 as usual not targeted as the children most in need and given to all primary school children even the wealthy ones.

Absolutely agree! I support Breakfast Clubs 100% for those that need them. I remember my son getting up early back in the noughtes when he was still at school (senior) to go to a Breakfast Club, and me offering him money because I didn't know they were free for everyone, he didn't need a free breakfast, he was going to meet up with a few mates. I was annoyed it was being offered to all and sundry when it should have been there for those that needed it.

I don’t. Children aren’t wealthy. Sending children to school without breakfast can be related to poverty, but it isn’t always, it is also about how much a child is cared for, which is a different thing altogether.

It's also about the life circumstances they are unwittingly part of.

MissAdventure

It's the timing of having to be present at work, mostly.

Jobs don't tend to hold their day up until you've given your children breakfast.

Having worked part time and full time, I just planned everything so that I was able to ensure my children had breakfast before they went to school. It isn't rocket science.

I am all for breakfast clubs. Children should not suffer because their parents are shiftless. yes, I know some children live in difficult circumstances - disabled parents or the children of addicts and similar, but they are a minority among those going to breakfast clubs.

We spend too much time making excuses for people who are shiftless, instead of ensuring they do thei parenting job properly.

Good for you.
Well done.

If people are paying for breakfast clubs, which they are, as far as I know, what difference does it make to anyone else?

All the children I know, whatever circumstances, have parents who pay

And, they all go to breakfast or after school clubs to accommodate the parents work.

The cost of a school breakfast club in the UK can vary depending on the length of the club, the food it offers, and other factors:

Average cost: The average cost of a breakfast club session is between £8 and £15.50.

Surrey County Council: The average cost in Surrey is between £2.50 and £6.50 per session.

Bounds Green Primary School: The breakfast club costs £3.50 per day and runs from 8 AM–9 AM, with breakfast served until 8:30 AM.

Woodhall Primary School & Nursery: The breakfast club costs £3 per session and runs until 8:45 AM. Children entitled to Free School Meals do not pay for the breakfast club, but they must still book a place in advance.

Whitefriars School: The breakfast club costs £3 per session.

Totally agree Lisa A. But I am guessing that the current generation of "parents" have absolutely no idea how to boil an egg!

And they will never need to learn as long as the state, that is, taxpayers, provides for them.

Read the above, perhaps.

growstuff

Yes maddyfour I claim Teachers Pension plus state pension, but I also have to pay £850 a month rent. I am £13 a week over the threshold for Pension Credit.

I’m sorry to hear that. That is indeed a big nuisance. I guess it’s the rent causing the biggest problem. You are one of the people we are all concerned about and we’re so cross that people just above pension credit level will be suffering this winter.

I had a devil of a job with one of mine trying to get him to eat breakfast, it wasn't neglect, he's a bit like me though, I'm not an early morning eater. Sometimes, if he wouldn't eat anything, I sent him to school with a mid morning sandwich to have at break, Although, that wasn't unusual there were others like him who skipped breakfast. I knew they also came from homes where they could have had a choice of several cereals, eggs, toast whatever for breakfast. It was all too easy for them to go to this breakfast club where something akin to an Egg McMuffin was on offer and which they could roll up to without question

Having said that I'm all for Breakfast Clubs to be provided free for those that need that. .

Wyllow3

I think quite a lot of groups will feel they've been treated unfairly in terms of need. Or unmet needs. an obvious group is long term disability.

I still question that 10 million pensioners will freeze to death as the result of changes to WFA.

If we are discussing pension levels overall and heating, that may be another matter

I think the figure being mooted is actually 4,000 pensioners may die as a result of the WFA being cut.
We will have to wait until next year to know how many, if any, excess pensioner deaths there maybe.

MissAdventure Reeves is going to trial free breakfast clubs in 750 primary schools before a national rollout. All children, no matter how rich their parents will be entitled to a free breakfast. I'm in favour of breakfast clubs but am having trouble reconciling pensioners just above pension credit level losing heating allowance with this sudden largesse available to children from well to do families.

As has been mentioned above, but worth repeating, local authorities have the Household Support Fund, with money direct from government. I would guess that for the next tranche they might prioritise claims from pensioners who don’t qualify for Pension Credit. It is certainly worth enquiring.

The LA is also responsible for Housing Benefit to help with rent, and Council Tax Reduction. Worth looking into.

Some energy companies are also going to help vulnerable customers, and people on the various disabilities should qualify for the Warm Home Discount, which enables energy suppliers to reduce their bills.

There IS help out there. I only hope those who need it will claim.

Yes, I'm all for the free breakfast clubs.

That doesn't mean I feel entitled to have a go at pensioners who will find it difficult to manage; although, of course, I could, by applying the same kind of judgements as are being put onto parents, who, as yet, are paying for a service which enables them to hold down jobs.

If this applies to anyone here or you know someone who needs help with energy bills your local council has a Household Support Fund for people in need.
It’s worth a call or can be done on line.

Not every pensioner is an owner occupier, some are paying rent which can make a significant hole in a retirement income which may be above the limit for Pension Credit and eligibility for the WFA.

Some of the rents in this area, for even a modest property, would amount to about £15,000 pa apparently, and we are not in the South-East.

Again, it may be worth seeing if they are entitled to Housing Benefit, via the Local Authority.

Yes, I'm all for the free breakfast clubs.

It sounds like a good idea. I'm just wondering if the government has given any thought to who will staff these clubs if lots of extra children want to go?
We have a breakfast club at our local schools. The schools promote them in their prospectus but the reality is they have no spare places at all for this academic year.

MissAdventure

Yes, I'm all for the free breakfast clubs.

That doesn't mean I feel entitled to have a go at pensioners who will find it difficult to manage; although, of course, I could, by applying the same kind of judgements as are being put onto parents, who, as yet, are paying for a service which enables them to hold down jobs.

Having given this some thought🤔I think free breakfasts for all primary school children who want one is a good idea.
It takes away the stigma of having the state pay and even those from middleclass families may not always get a breakfast, we can’t know that they do or don’t.It’s not as if all children are suddenly going to turn up at school early wanting cereal/ toast in any case is it?This and WFA shouldn’t be mixed up, and that benefit should have stayed tho witheld from wealthy pensioners.