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Scottish Sun
06-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
Nine freebies and up to £1,700 free cash families on Universal Credit and benefits can claim towards summer holidays
Find out all the freebies you could be entitled to BENEFIT BOOST Nine freebies and up to £1,700 free cash families on Universal Credit and benefits can claim towards summer holidays Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FAMILIES on Universal Credit can get access to nine freebies and up to £1,700 worth of free cash over the summer holidays. The summer break can be a difficult time for parents as they end up spending more on things like childcare, food and activities. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Families on Universal Credit can get extra help with costs over the summer holidays Credit: Alamy But there is always help available, and here we've rounded up everything you can get. Claim back childcare costs Universal Credit claimants may be able to claim back up to 85% of their childcare costs. This can include nurseries, preschools, after-school clubs, breakfast clubs, childminders, nannies and holiday clubs. To be eligible you (or your partner, if you live with them) must be working or have a job offer. It does not matter how many hours you or your partner work. The most you can get back each month is £1,031.88 for one child, or £1,768.94 for two or more children. You have to pay the childcare costs upfront and then report them to Universal Credit, which will pay some of the money back afterwards. Get free childcare You can also get free childcare if your child is a certain age. All three and 4-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours of free childcare per week, regardless of whether their parents work or how much they earn. Plus, parents of two-year-olds can get 15 hours of free childcare if they're on Universal Credit and have a household income of below £15,400 a year. I'm a pregnant mum - eight things you can get for free, including swimming sessions and items from Amazon Get free food from charities Some charities are running schemes and programmes across the UK providing lunch clubs and food related activities. These include FareShare, Make Lunch and FeedingBritain. FareShare is providing surplus food to thousands of after school and holiday clubs, as well as other children's charities. Make Lunch works with local churches to help provide nutritious meals and fun activities for families. FeedingBritain works across the UK to give food to people in need. You can find out what's available in your area here - Am I entitled to Universal Credit? According to the GOV website, if you're on a low income or need help with your living costs, then you could be entitled to Universal Credit. To claim, you must live in the UK, be aged 18 or over (with some exceptions if you're 15 to 17), be under State Pension age, and have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments. Other circumstances are if you are out of work, or unable to work, for example because of a health condition. Use food banks If you're struggling to afford the cost of food, you may be able to get help from your local food bank. You're usually referred to the food bank by Citizens Advice, your doctor or local charities. They will often provide you with a voucher to use at the food bank, but each one works differently so you should check what you need to do at your nearest one. You can find your nearest food bank by going on the Trussell website, or the Independent Food Network or Salvation Army centres. Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme A Government scheme called the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme provides free food, childcare, sports, music and arts clubs to low income households during the school holidays. Local authorities are responsible for administering the scheme which means what exactly is on offer depends on where you live. Most offer help to families with children in receipt of benefits-related free school meals, but local councils are also allowed to offer help to children outside of this group. The application process and what help you can get varies based on where you live so you should check with your local council. Get charity funding towards a holiday Some charities offer help with the costs of a holiday. For example, the Family Holiday Charity offers funded holidays to low-income households with self-catered accommodation for up to four nights and well as a contribution towards travel and food costs. The funding is available for households with an income of less than £24,000 who have not had a holiday together in the last four years and have at least one child under 18 who will go. Meanwhile the Henry Smith Foundation has a Holiday Grants Programme that offers one-off grants for schools, youth groups and non-profit organisations to take children aged 13 and under on short trips. See if you're eligible for a grant The charity Turn 2 Us has a tool on its website that lets you search to see if you're eligible for any free grants. All you need to do is spend a few minutes answering some questions and the tool will then match your information to grants that might be suitable for you. You can find the tool here: Look for free activities Some charities also run free holiday activities for disadvantaged children. They include Family Action, Feeding Britain, Onside Youth Zones, Street Games, TLG (Transforming Lives for Good). Plus there's the Summer Reading Challenge, a free scheme encouraging children to read more books over the summer through their local library. You can sign up at your nearest library or online. Household Support Fund (HSF) Every council in England has cash to dole out to support residents who are struggling to afford essentials with the Government's Household Support Fund. The £742million scheme hands councils up and down the country to give households in need. Each local authority gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and number of vulnerable households. The voucher or grant amounts vary by location, so you must check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you. There are different criteria for applications too, but often councils specify that you will need to be in receipt of benefits such as Universal Credit.
Daily Record
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Kids eat free in Dumfries and Galloway Tesco stores during summer holidays
The move is one of a number of steps the supermarket giant is taking to help out families as part of its Stronger Starts programme. Kids can eat for free in Dumfries and Galloway Tesco stores during the summer holidays. It's one of a number of steps the supermarket giant is taking to help out families as part of its Stronger Starts programme. The retailer is taking action to ensure children who would normally receive free school meals during term time don't miss out during the holidays. One free kids meal will be on offer with each item an adult buys in a Tesco cafe, providing they show their Clubcard or Clubcard App at the till. Tesco – which has two supermarkets in Dumfries as well as shops in Castle Douglas, Annan, Kirkcudbright, Lockerbie and Stranraer – is also selling pre-packed food donation bags, usually costing between £2 and £3, in all large stores. These can be picked up and paid for at the checkout, with the donated food going to directly to the FareShare and Trussell charities. They will then distribute it to charities and food banks to help families who need it most across the UK. Schools running holiday breakfast and lunch clubs during the holidays that also take part in Tesco's Fruit and Vet for Schools programme will be given £200 gift cards. And between August 25 and 31, shoppers can round up their bill to the nearest pound, with funds being split between FareShare and Trussell. Head of communities at Tesco, Claire De Silva, said: 'Too often, families with too little support during the holidays worry about their children's physical and mental health, particularly if they're not getting the good food every child deserves. 'If we all pull together over the summer, whether that's popping a few tins into a food collection point, picking up a food donation bag in our stores or rounding up our grocery bill, we can make a difference to the lives of thousands of children, who, without support, could have a tough summer holiday.' Trussell CEO, Emma Revie, added: 'We are extremely grateful to our partner Tesco and excited for this year's in-store summer activities, making it easier for people to support their local food bank throughout the holidays. 'It's not right that so many families with children can't afford to eat balanced meals. Our community of food banks distributed more than one million parcels for children last year, illustrating the unacceptable levels of hardship so many families are currently facing. 'No-one should need to turn to a charity for something as essential as food, and as we work towards achieving the long-term change needed, Tesco's support this summer will make a real difference to families across the UK.' CEO of FareShare, Kris Gibbon-Walsh, said: 'During the school holidays, families across the UK will be facing financial pressures as they juggle the cost of childcare and food and turning to their local community and charities for support. 'The food that we provide doesn't just feed people, it provides a gateway to other services and activities that will help countless children to play, have fun and make friends this summer. 'That's why the donation bags in Tesco stores are vital. Any Tesco shoppers that can donate an item or two to FareShare will be making a big difference to children and families this summer.'
Daily Record
30-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Discover how a small change on your next shop can help feed children this summer
Although the summer holidays are often a time of excitement for families across the UK, they can also present challenges for parents when it comes to making sure the household is well fed, especially without the support of free school meals and continued cost-of-living challenges. According to research by anti-poverty charity Trussell, a record 9.3 million people in the UK are currently facing hunger and hardship, over a quarter of those being children*. Keen to help, Tesco is running a summer initiative that enables customers to get involved and provide fast relief to those experiencing hunger over the school holidays. For in-store shoppers, Tesco will be offering pre-packed donation bags filled with nutritious, long-lasting food items like tinned tomatoes, sweetcorn and pineapple. These bags will be available to pick up in large Tesco stores across the UK throughout July and August; for Scotland and Northern Ireland specifically, they will be on offer from 30 June to 10 August. To get involved, simply select a bag when entering the store and purchase it along with your other shopping, then place it at the donation point near the exit. The bags will typically cost from £2 to £4, allowing you to choose one that best suits you and your budget. All collected food will be distributed by FareShare and Trussell to local charities and food banks, aiding those in communities up and down the country. From 25 to 31 August, you can also choose to 'round up' your purchases to the nearest £1 at checkout self-service tills. This extra money will be shared between Trussell – which operates one of the nation's largest food bank networks – and FareShare, a charity focused on fighting hunger and reducing food waste. Additionally, shoppers who feel able to contribute more can add extra items to their basket from a 'most needed' list and drop them off at collection points in Tesco stores. You can also donate directly online here. This summer's most-needed items UHT and powdered milk Tinned meat and fish Long-life fruit juice Cooking/pasta sauces Tinned vegetables Tinned and dried soup Pasta, rice and noodles Cereal and porridge Tea and coffee Sponge/rice pudding Continued support This summertime initiative is part of Tesco's ongoing support for Trussell and FareShare and follows the £8 million Stronger Starts programme launched in 2023, which funds healthy eating and fitness activities for children. As part of this drive, Tesco introduced the Fruit & Veg for Schools scheme, supplying an additional piece of fresh produce daily to up to 140,000 children in 400 schools with the highest ratio of free school meals. Plus, during the summer holidays, each participating school will receive a £250 Tesco gift card to provide additional food access for pupils. Tesco's support doesn't end there, however, as the retailer is bringing back its Kids Eat Free scheme across UK cafes over the summer period. This initiative includes a complimentary Kids Hot Meal Deal, Kids Breakfast, or Kids Pick 'n' Mix deal with any purchase made by an adult, for as little as 60p, when presenting their Tesco Clubcard or app at checkout. Last summer, donations from Tesco customers enabled Trussell food banks to deliver over 1.4 million meals to families across the UK. Emma Revie, chief executive of Trussell, said: 'With some children missing out on free school meals, and parents facing additional costs such as school uniforms and shoes for the new term, Tesco has stepped up to help once again. 'By providing multiple avenues of support and building awareness among the public, Tesco is helping us ensure more families can put food on their tables. We're extremely grateful for this ongoing generosity.' Chief executive of Fareshare, Kris Gibbon-Walsh added: 'The food we provide doesn't just feed people; it offers a gateway to other services and activities that will help countless children play, have fun and make friends this summer. 'That's why the donation bags in Tesco stores are vital. Any Tesco shoppers who can donate an item or two to FareShare will be making a significant difference to children and families.' Claire De Silva, head of communities at Tesco, stressed how crucial these efforts are: 'Our partners at FareShare and Trussell are seeing families and children needing extra support through the school holidays. 'Without free school meals in the holidays, they find it difficult to make ends meet and ensure children receive healthy, nutritious meals. 'Our pre-packed donation bags make it easy for customers to donate the most in-demand items to Trussell and FareShare.'
BBC News
04-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Food waste charity celebrates one-year milestone
A food waste charity has celebrated one year of operations from its Surrey warehouse. FareShare Sussex & Surrey (FSSS), which collects and distributes surplus food to charities and community groups, marked the first delivery from its Guildford facility in June 2024. It comes amid Volunteers' Week, an annual UK-wide campaign to recognise the contribution of volunteers to the country. FSSS, which started operations 23 years ago, says each year it delivers 2.14 million meals, supporting around 17,000 people a week at risk of food poverty. It expanded by opening its Guildford depot last Turner, one of FSSS' 170 volunteers, told the BBC she wanted to join the charity to fight against food waste and poverty. "I had seen quite a lot in the news about people not having a lot to eat and food just rotting and thought - how do you help that," she added. Ms Turner, who works as an assistant in the Guildford warehouse six hours a week, said her job involves "helping with whatever needs doing on a given day".This could involve allocating food into 10kg trays or sorting through "huge amounts of apples or carrots", she added. But Ms Turner added there was "lots of time for laughing and chatting" with her colleagues. FSSS chief executive Dan Slatter previously said the charity was opening the Surrey facility to "meet growing demand" in the county.
Daily Record
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Waitrose unite to fight hunger across the UK
The initiative has been billed as "one of the most ambitious retailer collaborations to date." Four major UK supermarkets have joined forces for a good cause. Anyone who shops at Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose and Sainsbury's will now be able to donate money to fight food hunger. The leading supermarket giants have come together for a new initiative, the Let's Make A Meal of It campaign that is being run in partnership with the UK's leading food distribution charity FareShare. Billed as "one of the most ambitious retailer collaborations to date", the campaign, which is also supported by suppliers, was officially launched across each of the four supermarkets on Monday, May 19, and will run for between seven to 14 days. To make a donation, customers will be encouraged to round-up at the till online and in store, with every pound being donated going towards five meals to those who really need them. All donations will go towards FareShare and will be spent on sourcing and redistributing meals from surplus food. Those who will benefit from the initiative include children who'll receive a hot meal at youth clubs during the holidays, alongside people who are experiencing loneliness and isolation who can meet with others over a meal. The Let's Make a Meal of It campaign has been developed in response to the growing demand for meals, as it aims to identify and secure more places of surplus food that can be rescued. It comes as research has suggested that one in seven people in the UK go hungry, with 2.7million of them being young children, which is said to be a "significant rise" since 2020. The collaboration to fight UK food poverty was inspired by the Coronation Project, an initiative launched by King Charles who urged the food industry to to bridge the gap between food waste and food need across the UK. Kristopher Gibbon-Walsh, CEO of FareShare, said: "Through Alliance Food Sourcing, FareShare and The Felix Project are transforming surplus food into meals—reducing waste, strengthening communities, and changing lives across the UK." Simon Roberts, CEO of Sainsbury's and President of IGD, said: "At Sainsbury's we believe everyone should have access to good food. "This is a breakthrough for the UK food industry to be working together in this way to tackle food poverty and just shows what is possible in delivering real and positive change." Matthew Barnes, UK CEO of Tesco, said: "We are excited to support the Let's make a meal of it campaign and strengthen our partnership with FareShare. Collaboration is key to addressing food insecurity, and we are happy to partner on this with the other retailers." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Rami Baitiéh, CEO of Morrisons, said: 'As a food retailer and manufacturer, we are committed to tackling food waste from field to fork. We want to help eradicate food poverty and are delighted to play our part in this industry initiative to redistribute surplus food to people in need.' James Bailey, Managing Director of Waitrose & Partners, said: 'We are proud to be part of Alliance Food Sourcing to reduce food waste while tackling food insecurity. Working with our suppliers, we're helping to divert surplus from our supply chain that would otherwise be wasted, to get good, nutritious food to people in need.' Shoppers can donate to the Let's Make a Meal of It campaign in Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Morrisons and Tesco stores now.
