Latest news with #HealthyStart
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Full list of Universal Credit freebies and discounts you can claim in July worth up to £10,000
We reveal how you can check if you're eligible for benefits below BENEFIT BOOST Full list of Universal Credit freebies and discounts you can claim in July worth up to £10,000 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HOUSEHOLDS on Universal Credit can top up their incomes with freebies and discounts worth up to £10,000 in July. Around 7.5million people are on the government benefit but might not realise it comes with a host of added perks. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 If you're on Universal Credit you could get a host of additional perks Credit: Alamy From cost of living cash to cheap days out, savings accounts and water bill help, it could be worth £1,000s. Here's the full list of help you can get this month. Household Support Fund - £300 The Household Support Fund is a giant £742million pot of money that's been shared between councils in England. These councils are in the process of allocating their share of the fund, with most distributing it to those on benefits, like Universal Credit, or low incomes. Birmingham Council is issuing payments worth £200 to cover the cost of energy, grocery and water costs. Cheshire West, Doncaster and Calderdale Councils are also sharing out help worth up to £300 to residents in need. Contact your local council to see what help is on offer. You can find your council via Healthy Start Scheme - £442 a year New or expectant mums can get up to £442 annually to cover the cost of fruit, veg and other essentials through the NHS' Healthy Start scheme. The scheme is open to those on certain benefits, including Universal Credit. Those eligible for help receive a prepaid card loaded with funds every four weeks. You can get up to £8.50 per week - worth £442 a year. How does work affect Universal Credit? Find out more via Cheap days out – save £101 You can get major discounts on days out if you're on Universal Credit. Here are some of the deals on this month: London Transport Museum: Entry for just £1 – usually £21 Yorkshire museums: Free entry, saving up to £17 per adult ZSL London Zoo: Entry for £3 – a £31.50 saving Tower of London & Hampton Court: £1 entry instead of £33.60 In total you could save up to £101 on these days out. Help to Save - worth £1,200 over four years People on Universal Credit can sign up for a Help to Save account and get a £1,200 bonus. You can save up to £50 into one of the accounts each month and get a 50% bonus at the end of your second and fourth year. Add the maximum £50 in every month and over four years you'd get a £1,200 bonus. Find out more via Water bill help – worth £400 Households on Universal Credit can slash their water bill through the WaterSure scheme. It's available to low income families or those who use lots of water due to disability in England and Wales and caps your bills at a certain amount. Contact your water supplier to see if you're eligible. Some water companies offer customers free water-saving devices like shower timers and cistern bags to bring usage down too. Free prescriptions and healthcare – up to £119 Those on Universal Credit can sometimes get free NHS prescriptions, which are currently £9.90 per item. Based on one item a month, that's a £118.80 a year saving. You can also get other NHS-based freebies if you're on Universal Credit. These include: Free dental checks Free eye tests Travel reimbursement for medical appointments Free wigs or glasses Use the NHS online checker to see what you can get. Discounted broadband and mobile contracts – worth £370 You should be able to sign up to a social tariff if you're on Universal Credit. The discounted tariffs are for those on certain benefits and, usually but not always, can save you money on your bill. One lady previously told The Sun switching from a standard tariff to a social tariff saved her £300 a year. Ofcom has a list on its website of all the firms offering the tariffs, either for phone or broadband. You can also use The Sun's free checker tool. Council tax support – up to £2,280 Those on Universal Credit can sometimes get money off their council tax, or even have the bill wiped completely. The help on offer varies from location to location, but based on the average Band D, which is £2,280, you could save £1,000s. Head to to check your eligibility. Energy bill help – up to £2,000 Energy firms like British Gas offer hardship grants worth up to £2,000 to those struggling with their bills. EDF also offers customers support if they're struggling to keep up with energy bills. If you don't qualify for a grant through your supplier, charity Turn2Us has a tool you can use to find grants available based on your location. You can find it via - Pregnancy grant – worth £500 Mums expecting their first child can claim a one-off £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant. It's available to those on Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits. You must apply within 11 weeks of the due date or six months after the baby is born. Find out more via Support with travel and job applications – worth £150 Claimants can get a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount card, cutting public transport costs by 50% across the UK. The card lasts for three months and is free, you just need to be actively job hunting. There's also the Flexible Support Fund, which can cover costs like: Travel to interviews Job training (up to £150) Uniforms, work tools, and childcare Apply at your local JobCentre. Cheap gym memberships – worth £100s Some leisure centres offer Universal Credit claimants gym memberships from as little as £5 a month. Based on the price of the standard membership, it could save you £100s a year. Everyone Active and Better Leisure both offer discounted rates. Access is often off-peak and varies by location, so check with your nearest centre. Free childcare – worth up to £1,769 a month Working parents on Universal Credit can get up to 85% of childcare costs covered, either paid up front or in arrears. The maximum payout is £1,031.88 a month for one child, or £1,768.94 for two or more – that's over £21,000 a year if claimed in full. You can find out more via 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 Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator 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 money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
12 Universal Credit freebies and discounts you can claim this summer worth up to £4,300
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PEOPLE on Universal Credit can get up to £4,300 worth of freebies and discounts this summer. Universal Credit is a monthly payment aimed at helping out unemployed and low-paid people. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Taking advantage of these discounts and freebies could save you thousands of pounds Credit: Alamy Claimants can get upwards of £316.98 a month from the Government - but they might not know they're entitled to more help. From food vouchers to help with bills and even cheap days out, there is plenty of extra support available. Here's the full list of what you could be claiming this month. Household Support Fund – worth up to £500 The Household Support Fund has been extended until March 2026 – and it's dishing out direct payments of up to £500. The Government scheme is sharing out a pot of £742million between councils in England to help them support struggling households. Each council is setting its own rules on how it distributes the money, but many are offering vouchers or cash payments to help residents with food and energy bills. Ribble Valley Borough Council is giving out food vouchers worth between £200 to £500 to households with a combined income of less than £35,000 a year. Hartlepool Borough Council is awarding £100 food vouchers to families who have a child aged between two and 19 who is eligible for free school meals. Meanwhile City of Doncaster Council is giving a one-off payment of between £100 to £300 to families on Universal Credit. If you're outside of these areas, you should check your local council's website to see what's on offer and how to apply. Three key benefits you could be missing out on Cheap days out – save £108 You can get huge savings on days out across the UK if you're on Universal Credit. These are some examples of what you can get, but there's plenty on offer... ZSL London Zoo: Entry for £3. Adult tickets are usually priced from £27 so you can make a £24 saving Eden Project: £5 for adults or £1 for kids. Adult tickets are usually £38 and child tickets are £12, saving you £44 in total if you buy one of each Tower of London: £1 tickets for up to six people per household. It's usually £35.80 for an adult ticket, so this would save you £34.80 York Castle Museum: Free entry. It's usually £17 for an adult ticket As a single adult, you could save £108.80 in total by going to all of these attractions. But of course you'll save even more if you're taking other family members too. Healthy Start food help – worth £442 a year New parents or expectant mums can get up to £442 a year for essentials like fruit, veg and baby formula. It's part of the Healthy Start scheme, which gives you a prepaid card loaded with funds every four weeks. You can apply for it online if you're on benefits including Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit. Help to Save – get £1,200 bonus cash People on Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit have access to the Government's Help to Save scheme. This gives you a 50% top-up when you put away savings. It's available on savings of up to £50 a month, meaning you can get a maximum of £2,400 over four years. The top-up is paid as a bonus at the end of the second and fourth years. Water bill help – worth £173 You could slash your water bill by hundreds through social tariffs or the WaterSure scheme. Every water supplier has social tariffs aimed at reducing costs for low-income families or people who use lots of water due to disability or large households. The eligibility criteria and level of support depends on your supplier. For example, Affinity Water offers a low-income fixed tariff (LIFT) for customers with a household income of less than £19,995 a year. The tariff is fixed at £143.80, but if you also receive a council tax reduction then your bill will be even lower at £95.80. Affinity Water said the average household bill for 2023/24 was up to £269, which would save you £173. It's not clear what the average household bill is for this year but it's likely to have gone up. You should contact your supplier directly to see what help is available. Some firms even offer free water-saving devices like shower timers and cistern bags to bring your usage down. Free prescriptions and healthcare – up to £119 If you're on Universal Credit, you might be eligible for free NHS prescriptions, saving you £9.90 a pop – or nearly £120 a year if you get your prescription monthly. You could also get: Free dental checks Free eye tests Travel reimbursement for medical appointments Free wigs or glasses Use the NHS online checker to see what you can get. Discounted broadband and mobile contracts – worth £290 You can also get social tariffs for your broadband and mobile contract if you're on Universal Credit. The cheapest deals start at £12.50 a month for broadband. Virgin Media Essential offers £12.50 a month for 15Mbps, with no set-up cost and a rolling 30-day contract. Its standard broadband deals start at £23.99 a month for a 24-month contract, so the social tariff would save you £137.88 a year. For mobile contracts, you can get social tariffs from the likes of EE, Smarty and Voxi. Voxi For Now costs just £10 a month and gives you unlimited data for six months, plus unlimited social media, calls and texts. Its usual unlimited data contract costs £35 a month, so the social tariff would save you £150 over the six months. In total both the mobile and broadband social tariffs would save you almost £290. Council tax support – up to £4,300 Those struggling with council tax could get a major discount – or even have their bill wiped completely. Council Tax Support varies by area, but if you're on a low income or receiving Universal Credit you could save thousands. For example, the Royal Borough of Greenwich offers up to 100% council tax discounts for eligible pensioner households. Council tax is as high as £4,323.52 in Greenwich. Head to to check your eligibility. Energy bill help – up to £2,000 Energy firms like British Gas are offering hardship grants worth up to £2,000. British Gas has a Gas Energy Support Fund that pays up to £2,000, but applications have closed for now. Other suppliers like EDF, Octopus, Ovo, Next and Utilita have no set limit on payments. If you don't qualify through your supplier, charities like Turn2Us have searchable databases to help you find other grants. The Household Support Fund also covers energy costs, so you can reach out to your council now. Pregnancy grant – worth £500 Mums expecting their first child could claim a one-off £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant. It's available to those on Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits. You must apply within 11 weeks of the due date or six months after the baby is born. Print off the SF100 form online and get it signed by a midwife before posting. Support with travel and job applications – worth £150 Claimants can get 50% off travel across the UK by applying for a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount card. It's aimed at helping you get to job interviews if you're actively job hunting. The card is free and lasts for three months. There's also the Flexible Support Fund, which can cover costs like: Travel to interviews Job training (up to £150) Uniforms, work tools, and childcare Apply at your local JobCentre. Cheap gym memberships – worth £336 Some leisure centres offer Universal Credit claimants gym memberships from as little as £5 a month. For example, a Better Health national membership would cost you £70 usually. But if you get a concessionary membership it's £42 a month. That would save you £336 over the course of a year. Alternatively if you get a Better Flex Adult Concessionary membership for you get one activity booking for £5 a month. Everyone Active also offers discounted rates. Access is often off-peak and varies by location, so check with your nearest centre.
The Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
12 Universal Credit freebies and discounts you can claim this summer worth up to £4,300
PEOPLE on Universal Credit can get up to £4,300 worth of freebies and discounts this summer. Universal Credit is a monthly payment aimed at helping out unemployed and low-paid people. 1 Claimants can get upwards of £316.98 a month from the Government - but they might not know they're entitled to more help. From food vouchers to help with bills and even cheap days out, there is plenty of extra support available. Here's the full list of what you could be claiming this month. Household Support Fund – worth up to £500 The Household Support Fund has been extended until March 2026 – and it's dishing out direct payments of up to £500. The Government scheme is sharing out a pot of £742million between councils in England to help them support struggling households. Each council is setting its own rules on how it distributes the money, but many are offering vouchers or cash payments to help residents with food and energy bills. Ribble Valley Borough Council is giving out food vouchers worth between £200 to £500 to households with a combined income of less than £35,000 a year. Hartlepool Borough Council is awarding £100 food vouchers to families who have a child aged between two and 19 who is eligible for free school meals. Meanwhile City of Doncaster Council is giving a one-off payment of between £100 to £300 to families on Universal Credit. If you're outside of these areas, you should check your local council's website to see what's on offer and how to apply. Three key benefits you could be missing out on Cheap days out – save £108 You can get huge savings on days out across the UK if you're on Universal Credit. These are some examples of what you can get, but there's plenty on offer... ZSL London Zoo: Entry for £3. Adult tickets are usually priced from £27 so you can make a £24 saving Eden Project: £5 for adults or £1 for kids. Adult tickets are usually £38 and child tickets are £12, saving you £44 in total if you buy one of each Tower of London: £1 tickets for up to six people per household. It's usually £35.80 for an adult ticket, so this would save you £34.80 York Castle Museum: Free entry. It's usually £17 for an adult ticket As a single adult, you could save £108.80 in total by going to all of these attractions. But of course you'll save even more if you're taking other family members too. Healthy Start food help – worth £442 a year New parents or expectant mums can get up to £442 a year for essentials like fruit, veg and baby formula. It's part of the Healthy Start scheme, which gives you a prepaid card loaded with funds every four weeks. You can apply for it online if you're on benefits including Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit. Help to Save – get £1,200 bonus cash People on Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit have access to the Government's Help to Save scheme. This gives you a 50% top-up when you put away savings. It's available on savings of up to £50 a month, meaning you can get a maximum of £2,400 over four years. The top-up is paid as a bonus at the end of the second and fourth years. Water bill help – worth £173 You could slash your water bill by hundreds through social tariffs or the WaterSure scheme. Every water supplier has social tariffs aimed at reducing costs for low-income families or people who use lots of water due to disability or large households. The eligibility criteria and level of support depends on your supplier. For example, Affinity Water offers a low-income fixed tariff (LIFT) for customers with a household income of less than £19,995 a year. The tariff is fixed at £143.80, but if you also receive a council tax reduction then your bill will be even lower at £95.80. Affinity Water said the average household bill for 2023/24 was up to £269, which would save you £173. It's not clear what the average household bill is for this year but it's likely to have gone up. You should contact your supplier directly to see what help is available. Some firms even offer free water-saving devices like shower timers and cistern bags to bring your usage down. Free prescriptions and healthcare – up to £119 If you're on Universal Credit, you might be eligible for free NHS prescriptions, saving you £9.90 a pop – or nearly £120 a year if you get your prescription monthly. You could also get: Free dental checks Free eye tests Travel reimbursement for medical appointments Free wigs or glasses Use the NHS online checker to see what you can get. Discounted broadband and mobile contracts – worth £290 You can also get social tariffs for your broadband and mobile contract if you're on Universal Credit. The cheapest deals start at £12.50 a month for broadband. Virgin Media Essential offers £12.50 a month for 15Mbps, with no set-up cost and a rolling 30-day contract. Its standard broadband deals start at £23.99 a month for a 24-month contract, so the social tariff would save you £137.88 a year. For mobile contracts, you can get social tariffs from the likes of EE, Smarty and Voxi. Voxi For Now costs just £10 a month and gives you unlimited data for six months, plus unlimited social media, calls and texts. Its usual unlimited data contract costs £35 a month, so the social tariff would save you £150 over the six months. In total both the mobile and broadband social tariffs would save you almost £290. Council tax support – up to £4,300 Those struggling with council tax could get a major discount – or even have their bill wiped completely. Council Tax Support varies by area, but if you're on a low income or receiving Universal Credit you could save thousands. For example, the Royal Borough of Greenwich offers up to 100% council tax discounts for eligible pensioner households. Council tax is as high as £4,323.52 in Greenwich. Head to to check your eligibility. Energy bill help – up to £2,000 Energy firms like British Gas are offering hardship grants worth up to £2,000. British Gas has a Gas Energy Support Fund that pays up to £2,000, but applications have closed for now. Other suppliers like EDF, Octopus, Ovo, Next and Utilita have no set limit on payments. If you don't qualify through your supplier, charities like Turn2Us have searchable databases to help you find other grants. The Household Support Fund also covers energy costs, so you can reach out to your council now. Pregnancy grant – worth £500 Mums expecting their first child could claim a one-off £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant. It's available to those on Universal Credit or other qualifying benefits. You must apply within 11 weeks of the due date or six months after the baby is born. Print off the SF100 form online and get it signed by a midwife before posting. Support with travel and job applications – worth £150 Claimants can get 50% off travel across the UK by applying for a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount card. It's aimed at helping you get to job interviews if you're actively job hunting. The card is free and lasts for three months. There's also the Flexible Support Fund, which can cover costs like: Travel to interviews Job training (up to £150) Uniforms, work tools, and childcare Apply at your local JobCentre. Cheap gym memberships – worth £336 Some leisure centres offer Universal Credit claimants gym memberships from as little as £5 a month. For example, a Better Health national membership would cost you £70 usually. But if you get a concessionary membership it's £42 a month. That would save you £336 over the course of a year. Alternatively if you get a Better Flex Adult Concessionary membership for you get one activity booking for £5 a month. Everyone Active also offers discounted rates. Access is often off-peak and varies by location, so check with your nearest centre.
Scottish Sun
20-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Five freebies and discounts parents on Universal Credit can get worth up to £3,286
Check to see what vouchers you could get your hands on CASH IN Five freebies and discounts parents on Universal Credit can get worth up to £3,286 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PARENTS on Universal Credit could be entitled to freebies and deals worth over £3,000. With childcare costs on the rise, looking after growing tots can be challenging. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Family Nature Walk: Parents and Children Enjoying Summer Forest Stroll Credit: Getty But for struggling families there may be some extra cash and perks they can get their hands on - some of which they may never had heard of. Here is what is available... PREGNANCY GRANT - £500 New parents can claim this one-off grant within 11 weeks of the baby's due date or up to six months after the baby is born. It's a payment worth £500 to help with the cost of having a child. Parents will need to print out and fill in the Sure Start Maternity Grant (SF100) claim form and have it signed by a doctor or midwife. You could qualify for the Sure Start Maternity grant if you're claiming benefits and expecting your first child. You can also qualify if you have children already and are expecting twins or triplets. HEALTHY START - £442 New or expectant parents can get up to £442 worth of free food a year through the Healthy Start scheme. Anyone more than 10 weeks pregnant or with a child under four years old and on benefits can apply online or via email. The scheme issues parents with a card they can use in supermarkets, which gives them free access to milk, frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables and tinned pulses. Disability benefit explained - what you can claim The full list of benefits qualifying you for the scheme is: Income Support Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Child Tax Credit with a family income of £16,190 or less per year Pension Credit Universal Credit with no earned income or total earned income of £408 or less per month for the family Parents can also apply for the scheme if you are under 18 and not on any benefits. You can find out more about the scheme in our full guide. FREE CHILDCARE - £1,739 Parents on Universal Credit may also be entitled to help with childcare costs. You'll need to be working - 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. You can get 85 per cent of your expenses paid each month up to a maximum of £1,014 for one child or £1,739 for two or more kids. FREE SCHOOL MEALS - £500 Children whose parents receive income support such as Universal Credit, Job seeker's Allowance and Child Tax Credits can receive free school meals. How you apply depends on your personal circumstances - some people may be able to via their local council, while others might have to speak to their children's school directly. Type your postcode into the Government's website to see who to contact and how to apply at The exact amount you'll get depends on where you live, but the help is worth around £460 on average per child per year, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. If you're eligible for free school meals, you may also get similar help during school holidays including Christmas and Easter, as well as half terms. If your child is eligible for free school meals, they'll also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme offering kids free activities to take part in outside of school.
The Sun
20-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
Five freebies and discounts parents on Universal Credit can get worth up to £3,286
PARENTS on Universal Credit could be entitled to freebies and deals worth over £3,000. With childcare costs on the rise, looking after growing tots can be challenging. 1 But for struggling families there may be some extra cash and perks they can get their hands on - some of which they may never had heard of. Here is what is available... PREGNANCY GRANT - £500 New parents can claim this one-off grant within 11 weeks of the baby's due date or up to six months after the baby is born. It's a payment worth £500 to help with the cost of having a child. Parents will need to print out and fill in the Sure Start Maternity Grant (SF100) claim form and have it signed by a doctor or midwife. You could qualify for the Sure Start Maternity grant if you're claiming benefits and expecting your first child. You can also qualify if you have children already and are expecting twins or triplets. HEALTHY START - £442 Healthy Start scheme. Anyone more than 10 weeks pregnant or with a child under four years old and on benefits can apply online or via email. The scheme issues parents with a card they can use in supermarkets, which gives them free access to milk, frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables and tinned pulses. Disability benefit explained - what you can claim The full list of benefits qualifying you for the scheme is: Income Support Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Child Tax Credit with a family income of £16,190 or less per year Pension Credit Universal Credit with no earned income or total earned income of £408 or less per month for the family Parents can also apply for the scheme if you are under 18 and not on any benefits. You can find out more about the scheme in our full guide. FREE CHILDCARE - £1,739 Parents on Universal Credit may also be entitled to help with childcare costs. You'll need to be working - 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. You can get 85 per cent of your expenses paid each month up to a maximum of £1,014 for one child or £1,739 for two or more kids. FREE SCHOOL MEALS - £500 Children whose parents receive income support such as Universal Credit, Job seeker's Allowance and Child Tax Credits can receive free school meals. How you apply depends on your personal circumstances - some people may be able to via their local council, while others might have to speak to their children's school directly. Type your postcode into the Government's website to see who to contact and how to apply at The exact amount you'll get depends on where you live, but the help is worth around £460 on average per child per year, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. If you're eligible for free school meals, you may also get similar help during school holidays including Christmas and Easter, as well as half terms. If your child is eligible for free school meals, they'll also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme offering kids free activities to take part in outside of school.
