HELPING HAND
Full list of help you can get on Universal Credit as 1.6million turn to food banks
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ALMOST half the people who claim benefits have ran out of food in the last month and did not have money to buy anymore, a harrowing report has found.
The research, conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Trussell Trust, also found 1.6million people claiming Universal Credit have been forced to use a food bank in the last 12 months.
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The economic aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and high inflation has put major strain on people's finances over the past few years.
It has led to an uptick in the number of people using food banks and other handouts, even people with full or part time jobs.
Some 68% of working households in receipt of Universal Credit having gone without essentials, such as basic toiletries and prescriptions, in the last six months.
This is only slightly lower than the level among people receiving Universal Credit who are not in work (79%).
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Jane Baker, project lead, Newcastle-Staffs Foodbank said he is increasingly seeing people use the service because Universal Credit "simply doesn’t provide enough to cover the essentials".
People who claim the benefit get £311.68 per month if they are single and under 25 or £393.45 if they are aged 25 or over.
If you live with a partner this increases to a max of £617.60 per month.
But it is important to remember that this is not the only benefit you can claim, and if you are struggling you could get access to extra cash.
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Household Support Fund - up to £500
Cash strapped families can get greater support via the Household Support Fund (HSF)
The Household Support Fund (HSF) is a pot of cash that local councils give out to households on low income, but it varies based on where you live.
Cash for Care
The support package was introduced by the Government in 2021, however it has been extended a number of times.
How much you are eligible for is usually based on what benefits you already receive and your financial situation.
But in some cases you can get a one off payment of £500 to help with your living costs.
To get the help, you'll need to check with your council - as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.
Information on how to apply for the funding should be published on your council's website. Each council will have a different application process.
If there's no information on your council's website, then it's best to ring them up and ask for more information.
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.
It is also worth keeping in mind that financial support available to struggling households varies from council to council, so it is worth checking what schemes your local council offers to ensure you get all the support you need.
Social tariffs - £227.88
Thousands of low-income households could be eligible for discounted broadband and mobile phone contracts, with huge savings up for grabs.
A number of providers offer special tariffs for those receiving qualifying benefits.
These tariffs, known as "social tariffs", are available to households on certain benefits, including Universal Credit, and usually cost substantially less than a firm's standard broadband packages.
Tariffs begin at £12 for mobile contracts and £12.50 for broadband contracts.
BT's Home Essentials social package starts from £15 a month, while standard tariffs begin at £33.99 - a saving of £227.88 a year.
Council tax - £2,171
Council tax is a priority bill, which means if you don't pay you can end up in court.
But you can get money off the bill and in some cases have it wiped completely.
Council Tax Support is a scheme where those on a low income or benefits can get money off council tax.
The discount you get varies depending on your circumstances and where you live.
That said, if you do get it wiped completely it can be worth thousands of pounds, with the average Band D council tax bill currently standing at £2,171 a year.
Check out what help you can get by using the Government's online tool at .
Help to Save - £1,200
Help to Save is a scheme available to those on Universal Credit and offers a 50% bonus on any savings you make.
You can deposit up to £50 into a Help to Save account every month for up to four years.
So, if you added the maximum amount each month for 48 months, you would end up with a £1,200 bonus.
But you can still get some of the bonus even by saving a small amount - check out how it works.
Discounted water bills - £1,000
If you’re on a low income, it’s worth asking your water provider about social tariffs, which can reduce your bill by hundreds of pounds.
Some companies offer a percentage discount, while others offer a fixed rate. If you get money off your council tax bill, you might qualify for an even lower amount.
The amounts you can get off vary, but someone got more than £1,000 refunded through the scheme.
To qualify, you need to receive certain income-related benefits, including Pension Credit, and have a water meter installed.
You’ll also need to show that you need a lot of water and that this is essential for your family.
Warm home discount scheme - £150
The Warm Home Discount scheme is paid to millions of low-income households each winter to help with increased heating costs.
Households in England and Wales don't have to apply to get the cash and receive it automatically.
However, some Scottish households do have to apply for the discount.
Eligible households get £150 credited to their electricity bill between October and March 2024.
To qualify you'll usually need to be actively claiming one of a number of means-tested benefits during the qualifying week - which is usally in August.
However, if you later launch a successful claim for backdated benefits, you may still be able to qualify after this date and once it's confirmed.
Pension Credit - £3,900
This benefit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re over the state pension age and on a low income.
Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.
This is a separate to your state pension and you can qualify for the scheme even if you have other income, savings or own your own home.
The support also opens up eligibility for social tariffs, the Warm Home Discount, cheaper broadband, free TV licenses, lower water bills and the Winter Fuel Payment.
When applying, you must flag if you are single or living with a partner.
You’ll be eligible if either:
- You and your partner have both reached State Pension age
- One of you is getting Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age
Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or to £332.95 if you have a partner.
You could get an extra £81.50 a week if you have a disability or claim any of the following:
- Attendance Allowance
- The middle or highest rate from the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- The daily living component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP) at the standard or enhanced rate.
You can apply for Pension Credit online, over the phone or by post.
You can start your application up to 4 months before you reach .
You can apply any time after you reach State Pension age but your application can only be backdated by 3 months.
This means you can get up to 3 months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.
Free insulation's or boilers - £1,000's
Low income households may qualify for major discounts on installing boilers or insulating their homes.
For example, the Energy Company Obligation, set up by Government, lets households on certain benefits apply to have energy-saving measures installed in their homes.
It might mean cavity wall or loft insulation, or maybe even a new boiler fitted, sometimes for free.
To qualify you usually need to be on one of the following benefits
- Pension Guarantee Credit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Tax Credits (Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits)
- Universal Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Pension Credit Saving Credit
Households' needs are assessed on a case-by-case basis, so there's no guarantee you'll get help, but it is worth looking into.
Healthy start vouchers - £8.50 per week
If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four, you may be able to get help to buy healthy food and milk.
Families on Universal Credit can apply online if their take-home pay is £408 or less from employment.
If you get Child Tax Credit, you may be eligible for Healthy Start if:
- your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less
- you do not get Working Tax Credit
Universal credit childcare costs - £1,739.37
If you are a working parent who pays for childcare, Universal Credit will pay 85% of childcare costs back to you.
The maximum amount a month is:
- £1,014.63 for one child
- £1,739.37 for 2 or more children
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To be eligible you need to be in paid work or starting a job.
To apply you must contact Universal Credit through your online account or via telephone.
What is managed migration?
UNIVERSAL Credit is replacing six benefits under the old welfare system, commonly called legacy benefits. They are:
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker's allowance
- Income support
- income-related employment and support allowance
- Housing Benefit.
If you're on any of these benefits now, you can choose to move over - but you might not be better off.
You should consider carefully what moving over means for your money, as you can't move back once you're on Universal Credit.
Using an online benefits calculator can help you compare and are free and easy to use from charities such as Turn2Us and EntitledTo, and it's also worth asking them for advice.
You may be moved over to Universal Credit if you have a change in circumstances, like moving home, a change in working hours or a have a baby.
But eventually everyone will be moved over to Universal Credit.
This is known as "managed migration" .
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