Universal Credit or benefits – 10 freebies and discounts you can get
IF you’re on Universal Credit and struggling to make your cash stretch until payday, you may be able to get extra discounts.
You could get help with bills and costs for housing, prescriptions, travel and more.
Universal Credit rolls six benefits, including Housing Benefit and Child Tax Credit, into one payment.
Last year, households on the scheme saw payments temporarily boosted by £1,040 (£20 a week) due to the coronavirus crisis.
This ended in October but claimants can now keep more of their income due to changes in the taper rate, which is the amount of money the government takes for earnings above a certain allowance.
It has been cut from 63p to 55p.
Discounted BT phone and broadband
You might be able to get a phone and broadband package for less if you’re on Universal Credit.
If you’re on Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pensions Credit (Guaranteed Credit), and Employment and Support Allowance (Income related) benefits, you might be able to get it too.
The package costs £5.16 a month, and if you want to add broadband, this rises to £10.07.
Your bill will be capped each month, which means that no matter how many calls you make, the most you’ll pay is £15.16 or £20.07 with broadband.
To find out more information about the package and how to apply, check out
Compared to the cheapest Broadband package we could find on BT’s website, which would cost you £29.99, you could potentially shave nearly £20 off your bills.
Free school meals
Although Boris Johnson ordered schools to close until at least February half term earlier this month, families can still get free school meals.
Get £25 a week during cold weather
You may be able to get Cold Weather Payments if you claim certain benefits.
If you’re eligible, you could get £25 if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over seven consecutive days.
For this year, the scheme runs between November 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.
Help with rent
If your Universal Credit payment is not enough to cover your rent, you can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP).
This will give you extra money if your council decides you need help to meet your housing costs. You don't need to repay a DHP.
Free school transport
All children between five and 16 qualify for free school transport if they go to their nearest suitable school and live at least:
In most cases, financial help will be dependent on what year your child is in.
For example, in the London Borough of Greenwich, grants range from £40 for pupils starting reception up to £100 for those entering year seven.
We’ve outlined all you need to know about applying for the discount here.
Who is eligible for financial help with school uniforms?
RULES vary but generally you will qualify for a school uniform grant in England if you receive one of the following:
- Income support
- Jobseeker's allowance (income based)
- Child tax credit - provided you are not entitled to working tax credit
- Employment support allowance (ESA)
- State pension - this benefit must be your sole source of income
- Support under Part IV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Universal Credit
You may also be able to apply if your annual household income is less than £16,190.
You are likely to be asked to prove that you are legally responsible for the child by providing a recent copy of your bank statement confirming the payment of child benefit to your account.
Rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are slightly different.
Half price rail tickets
If you’re unemployed, you might be entitled to half price on selected rail fares.
You’ll have to apply for a Jobcentre Plus railcard, which is free of charge, to get the discount.
Cards are not automatically given out and are provided on a case-by-case basis.
Because of the Covid crisis, you do not need to go to a jobcentre unless you’re asked to.
Money off passes to your local leisure centre
Some councils offer a discount on membership cards to your local council run leisure centres, tennis courts and swimming pools.
How much of a discount you can get depends on your local council.
You’ll need to apply for the discount through your local leisure centre.
The exact process varies by district but generally you'll be asked to fill out a form as well as provide proof that you're on benefits.
You should double check with your local centre, but proof can be either a benefit award letter or a bank statement showing the benefit being paid in that's dated within the past 12 months.
However, you’ll have to wait a while before you can take advantage of this scheme.
Under new lockdown rules, Brits must stay at home, with gyms and leisure centres closing until mid-February.
If you're looking for other ways to save money, take some inspiration from this mum-of-one who saves £4,200 a year after switching her home for a water boat.
Plus, this freelancer managed to pay off £24,000 of debt in eight months by using the "snowball method".
And after Netflix revealed it would be increasing the price of some subscriptions by up to £24 a year from next month, Martin Lewis gave his top tips for avoiding bill hikes and how to watch shows for free.
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