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Free cash you can get on Universal Credit at any time worth up to £29,000 – and you don’t have to pay it back
How to boost your income and get help with essential expenses
MILLIONS of Brits who claim Universal Credit can get extra help worth up to £29,077.43 each year.
Even better, the benefits and cash advances on offer don’t need to be paid back at all.
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As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, many households are struggling to make ends meet, and food bank use is higher than ever before.
That’s why it’s really important to know what help is available and claim any additional benefits that you’re entitled to.
In particular, families with children can access a whole host of free support that can be worth tens of thousands of pounds, including free childcare for those in work.
From help with council tax and school uniform grants to help to save and money off energy bills, here’s all the extra support on offer, who is eligible, and how to claim.
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Household Support Fund – up to £600
If you’re struggling with day-to-day costs, you might be able to get help from your local council through the Household Support Fund.
The fund is designed to help families pay for essential costs such as energy, water bills, buying white goods, and food. Some councils also offer food vouchers to families during the school holidays.
The eligibility criteria varies by council, as does the amounts you can get. Some councils offer vouchers, while others offer cash.
Not all councils publish the maximum amounts on their websites, but Richmond says it will pay up to £600 for families with two children, while Brent Council says it offers maximum payments of £500 for any household.
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Across a number of other councils, most awards are £100 vouchers.
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Free childcare – up to £20,872
If you claim Universal Credit, you can also claim back 85% of your childcare costs as long as you are either working or about to start work (with a job offer in hand).
The most you can get back each month is £1,739.37 for two or more children, which adds up to £20,872.44 over a year.
School uniform grants – up to £200
Plenty of councils across the UK offer school uniform grants for families on low incomes.
Receiving Universal Credit will normally mean you are automatically eligible, but for some councils your child may need to eligible for free school meals.
That means your household income must be less than £7,400 a year after tax, not including benefits.
The amount you’ll get varies by council. The highest we could find was £200 a year for secondary-aged children in Wales.
In England, the most generous scheme we found was £160 per full-time secondary school pupil in the City of London. Most councils give you less money if the child is primary school aged.
Energy bill grants – up to £1,500
If you are struggling to cover your energy bills, you might be able to apply for a grant.
Each provider sets its own eligibility criteria, and they all offer different discounts.
The highest amounts we found were with British Gas or Scottish Gas, where customers can get grants worth up to £1,500.
Flexible Support Fund
The Flexible Support Fund is available to help Universal Credit claimants with job-related expenses.
The fund is managed by local job centres and can cover costs such as:
- Job training, up to £150
- Interview travel
- Childcare
- Work tools
- Work clothing and uniforms
- Emergency financial support for single parents in the first 26 weeks of employment.
There is no official maximum limit, and you’ll need to apply through your local jobcentre.
The money isn’t guaranteed, either - it’s at the Jobcentre’s discretion.
Help to Save – up to £300 a year
Help to Save gives people on Universal Credit a 50% bonus on money they set aside in savings.
You can save between £1-£50 each month, which will get you a bonus of between 50p and £25.
If you save the maximum each month, you’ll get bonuses worth £300 a year, or £1,200 over all four years.
Your bonuses are paid at the end of the second and fourth year.
After that, your help to save account will be closed and you won’t be able to open another one.
Healthy Start – up to £442
Parents or expectant mothers can get free milk, fruit, vegetables and vitamins through the Healthy Start scheme.
If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on, which is topped up every four weeks.
You get:
- £4.25 each week of your pregnancy from the 10th week
- £8.50 each week for children from birth to 1 year old
- £4.25 each week for children between 1 and 4 years old
If you’re over 18 and get Universal Credit, you’ll either need to have no earned income or total earned income of £408 or less per month for the family.
There are several other benefits that will qualify you for this help.
Over the course of a year, Healthy Start is worth £221 if your child is over one, and £442 in the first year of their life.
Free prescriptions, dental treatment and eye exams
If you receive Universal Credit, you might be able to get free NHS prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and help with other NHS costs.
If you’re single, you’ll need to have net earnings of £435 or less per month.
If you receive the child element of Universal Credit or have limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA), this limit increases to £935 or less.
How much you’ll save depends on how many prescriptions you need in a year and what other kinds of dental, eye, or health treatments you need.
Cheap broadband - £196.68 on average a year
Most broadband providers offer social tariffs for people on certain benefits including Universal Credit.
Ofcom has a list of options on its website – with prices ranging from £10 to £23 a month.
According to Uswitch’s global broadband index, the average cost of broadband is £26.39 per month. Switching to the cheapest social tariff would save you £16.39 on average per month, which works out at £196.68 a year.
Free school meals - £967.25 on average
If you’re on Universal Credit and your household income is less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get), you will be eligible for free school meals.
The Food Foundation’s research shows that the average cost of a school meal was £2.65 in 2023. Across a year, that adds up to £967.25.
Council tax support - £2,171
People on Universal Credit can also apply for a council tax reduction worth up to 100%.
To apply, you need to speak to your local council, and each one has its own eligibility criteria.
The average Band D council tax set by local authorities in England for 2024-25 is £2,171.
Help paying water bills - £328.50
Water suppliers have social tariffs for people on certain benefits, which often include Universal Credit. The type of discount you get will depend on your supplier.
Some offer a percentage discount, while others have lower fixed rates for qualifying customers.
For example, Affinity Water caps annual water bills at £119.50.
The average water bill in England and Wales is £448 a year, according to Water UK, which works out as a discount of £328.50.
To apply, speak to your water provider.
Help with funeral costs - £1,000
If you need to arrange a funeral and you receive Universal Credit, you can apply for a funeral expenses payment to help meet the costs.
You can also get a £1,000 grant for expenses such as flowers or a coffin.
You may not get the full amount, and what’s available will depend on your personal circumstances.
Claim by calling the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012.
Maternity grants - £500
If you’re on Universal Credit and you’re pregnant with your first child, you can get a maternity grant worth £500.
You can claim the money from 11 weeks before your due date to six months after the child is born.
To apply, you need to print out and fill in the
Free legal advice
You could get help through Legal Aid if you’re at risk of homelessness or eviction.
Legal aid can also help meet the costs of family mediation and representation in a court or tribunal.
For instance, gov.uk says you might get legal aid if:
- you or your family are at risk of abuse or serious harm, for example domestic violence or forced marriage
- you’re at risk of homelessness or losing your home
- you’ve been accused of a crime, face prison or detention
- you’re being discriminated against
- you need family mediation
- you’re adding legal arguments or bringing a case under the Human Rights Act
You’ll usually need to show that you cannot afford to pay for this help, and you might even have to pay some money towards the legal costs of your case or pay costs back later.
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The government has a you can use to see if you might be eligible.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity works out what you could get.
Entitledto's determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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