MILLIONS of people who claim Universal Credit and other benefits could get freebies or thousands of pounds in discounts in June.
Help can be a lifesaver for families struggling with the rising cost of living.
1
You can get extra support worth thousands if you use Universal CreditCredit: PA
The exact amount of grant you can get depends on your circumstances, but this year you could win as much as £9,871.
This is the help you can get this month.
CHEAP BROADBAND – £300
Households with benefits such as Universal Credit can save money on broadband and mobile phones through social tariffs.
These special tariffs are offered by providers for people on low incomes, often with benefits, and start from around £10 a month.
The exact criteria vary by supplier so you will need to check with individual suppliers.
You can use The Sun’s tool, created with Nous, to find out if you qualify for cheaper broadband at nous.co/thesun.
BT, Virgin Media O2, Community Fibre, Hyoeroptic and KCOM are among the providers offering the deals.
It’s worth comparing deals with standard deals on price comparison sites to see if you can really save money.
The amount you’ll reduce on your bills depends on how much you’re already paying. However, one woman previously revealed to The Sun how the switch has saved her £300 a year.
COUNCIL TAX REDUCTION – £2,171
City tax is a priority bill, which means if you don’t pay it, you could end up in court.
How millions can get FREE driving hours if they’re on benefits – find out exactly who’s eligible and how to claim them
You can reduce your council tax and in some cases write it off entirely with council tax support.
The program helps those on low incomes or benefits to get money.
The discount you can get depends on your circumstances and where you live.
The average council tax bill for Band D is currently £2,171 a year, meaning there are significant savings to be made.
You can get help using the government’s online tool at gov.uk/apply-for-council-tax-discount.
ENERGY BILL – £750
Many of the major suppliers offer help with energy bills through hardship funds of up to £750.
Some energy companies also offer energy saving devices.
You need to contact your supplier directly to see what their eligibility criteria are and what you might be able to get.
If you don’t qualify for help through your energy company, there are also charities and organizations that offer money to families in need.
Turn2Us has a free grant search tool to help you find the help available to you.
In addition, the Household Support Fund, which helps families with rising living costs, is open until the end of August.
Help you can get includes cash grants and energy or supermarket vouchers.
Support is issued by local councils so you should contact yours to see what is available.
You can do this by using the government’s online council finder tool.
PREGNANCY – £500
If you are claiming benefits and expecting your first child, or if you already have children and are expecting twins or triplets, you may qualify for a Sure Start Maternity grant.
It’s a one-off payment worth £500 to help with the costs of having a baby.
New parents must apply for assistance within 11 weeks of the due date or up to six months after the birth of the child.
To apply, you will need to print and complete the Safe Start Maternity Benefit claim form (SF100).
A health professional such as a doctor or midwife must also sign it before you post it – you can send it for free to: Freepost DWP SSMG.
FREE FOOD – £442
New or expectant parents can also get free food worth up to £442 a year through the Healthy Start scheme.
Anyone who is more than 10 weeks pregnant or has a child under the age of four and receives benefits can apply online or by email.
If you meet the requirements, you are issued with a card that you can use in a number of supermarkets and retailers.
You can only buy certain products with the card, such as cow’s milk, fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables, and canned legumes.
The full list of benefits that qualify you for the program is:
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Employment and maintenance allowance depending on income
- Tax relief for children with a family income of £16,190 or less per year
- Pension credit
- Universal Credit with no earned income or a total earned income of £408 or less per month for a family
You can also apply for the scheme if you are under 18 and not receiving any benefits.
You can find out more about the scheme in our guide.
FREE CHILDCARE – £1,739
You may be able to get help with some of your childcare costs if you claim Universal Credit.
Each month you can get 85% of your expenses up to a maximum of £1,014 for one child or £1,739 for two or more children.
You used to have to pay childcare costs yourself and then claim the money back through Universal Credit.
But now, some Universal Credit claimants can cover it without having to set aside first following a rule change following the Sun’s Make Universal Credit Work campaign.
To get help, you’ll need to make a claim through your Universal Credit online account.
You will need to work – and your partner if you live with them – or have a job offer, but it doesn’t matter how many hours you or your partner work.
SAVINGS ON THE WATER BILL – £1,000
Large families using Universal Credit or other benefits may also be eligible to have their bills capped under the WaterSure scheme.
To qualify, you must already have a water meter installed and be able to prove that you have to use a lot of water.
You must also have three or more children under the age of 19 living at home and receive child benefit for them.
The amounts you can get vary, but one saver got more than £1,000 back through the scheme.
Water companies can also offer households free water-saving devices to reduce their bills.
Contact your supplier to see what help they offer and find out more on the SaveWaterSaveMoney website.
FREE NHS PRESCRIPTIONS – £119
People on certain benefits who meet certain criteria can get free NHS prescriptions.
NHS prescriptions currently cost £9.90 in the UK, based on one prescription per month, a saving of £118.80 over the year.
You can also get help with prescriptions, dental and eye care costs through the NHS Low Income scheme.
You can even get free wigs and help with travel expenses, if it’s for health check-ups.
How much you will be entitled to depends on financial factors, including your expenses and the amount of savings in the bank.
You can use the eligibility checker and find out more on the NHS website to find out what you might be eligible for.
TRAVEL COSTS- £150
Universal Credit claimants can get 50% off their bus and rail tickets with the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount.
You will need to be unemployed, looking for work and receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance to qualify.
You will also need to claim Universal Credit for three to nine months if you are aged between 18 and 24.
For those aged 25 or over, you must be eligible for a discount of three to 12 months.
However, it is ultimately up to your local JobCentre Plus branch to decide – ask your local branch for more details.
There is also the Flexible Support Fund, a pool of money set aside by the state to help people with employment costs.
The fund is managed by local job centers and can be used to cover the following job search costs:
- Job training, up to £150
- Travel to interviews
- Caring for children
- Tools for work
- Costs of medical evidence required by a disabled person
- Clothing and uniforms for starting work
- Support for single parents in crisis financial situations in the first 26 weeks from the start of employment.
You can find out more about how to apply in our guide.
FREE SCHOOL MEALS – £500
In England, if you have children at a state school in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, they are entitled to free school meals regardless of your household income.
However, if you claim certain benefits, including Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Child Tax Credits, you can also get free school meals for older children.
How you apply depends on your personal circumstances – some people may be able to through their local council, while others may need to speak directly to their children’s school.
Enter your postcode on the government website to see who to contact and how to apply at gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals.
The exact amount you’ll get depends on where you live, but on average the benefit is worth around £460 per child per year, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
If you are entitled to free school meals, you can also get similar help during school holidays such as Christmas and Easter, as well as during term time.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use the benefits calculator to check if you’re missing out on money you’re entitled to
Charity Turn2Us benefit calculator calculates what you can get.
Entitledto’s free calculator works out whether you are entitled to various benefits, tax credit and universal credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and the charity StepChange have benefits tools powered by Entitledto data.
You can use the Policy in Practice calculator to work out what benefits you can get and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying your housing costs.
Your exact entitlement won’t be clear until you make a claim, but calculators can show what you might be entitled to.
HELP SAVE – £1,200
The Help to Save scheme is available to those using Universal Credit and offers a 50% bonus on every saving you make.
You can add up to £50 to your Help to Save account every month for up to four years.
So if you added the maximum amount every month for 48 months, you’d end up with a £1,200 bonus.
But you can still get part of the bonus even if you save a small amount – check how it works here.
Funeral Assistance – £1,000
You may be able to get help to cover the costs of a loved one’s funeral through Funeral Payments.
It can be used to contribute to the cost of funeral fees, cremation fees and death certificates.
You can also get up to £1,000 towards any other funeral costs, including overheads, flowers or a coffin.
Payments usually do not cover all funeral costs.
Payment can be requested via the bereavement helpline on 0800 151 2012.
Do you have a money problem that needs to be solved? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Additionally, you can join our Sun Money Chat & Tips group on Facebook to share your tips and stories
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education