All of the things you possibly can get financial help with (Updated)

Financial Help

Claimants of Universal Credit could possibly be due hundreds price of additional financial of additional help, but will not be aware of it.

Low income Brits are fighting their household budgets within the face of rising costs – from household bills like gas and electricity to food and general cost of living – but they may stand up to thirty different sorts of assistance.

Universal Credit claimants almost doubled in the course of the pandemic to six million Brits, and greater than a 3rd of those are working but claiming from the Department for Work and Pensions because their income just isn’t high enough by itself. Advantages than may be claimed include Council Tax reduction.

Shockingly, 15 billion kilos of profit money is lost yearly by not being claimed, with pensioners missing out essentially the most. Greater than 1 / 4 of million older people also don’t claim Housing Profit which could save them £4,000 per 12 months.

A whole list of help available…

Experts say certainly one of the essential problems stays that there’s a stigma attached to asking for help, although people may genuinely not bear in mind that this help is obtainable. So here’s a listing of advantages you might be claiming to assist you through hard times, every one is linked to more information:

Reduced council tax bills

You can be eligible should you’re on a low income or claim advantages. Your bill could possibly be reduced by as much as 100%.

You may apply should you own your house, rent, are unemployed or working. What you get relies on where you reside, your individual circumstances, equivalent to your income, the number of youngsters you will have, the advantages you receive, etc, your entire household income, whether your kids live with you and whether other adults live with you.

Capped water bills

For those who live in England or Wales, are on certain advantages, have a water meter and use plenty of water since you either have a medical condition or three or more children, you might claim financial aid. This is known as the Water Sure scheme.

People who meet the standards for help could have their water bill capped at the quantity of the typical household water bill for his or her water company, or in some cases, even less.

Half price bus

You might get free or reduced price travel with the Statutory English National Concessionary Travel Scheme pass. The scheme provides travel free of charge on local bus services anywhere in England, between 9:30am and 11pm during weekdays and anytime on weekends and bank holidays.

DISCOUNTED RAIL FARES

There are a selection of railcards available that supply discounts on rail travel. These include the 16-25 railcard, the family and friends railcard, the senior railcard and more. Discover which railcard suits you here.

Free or discounted gym membership

You might be eligible free of charge or concessionary memberships at your local gym or leisure centre should you claim:

• Housing profit
• Income Support
• Job Seekers’ Allowance
• Working Families Tax Credit
• Carers Allowance
• Universal Credit

Help with latest job costs

Going back to work doesn’t mean giving up all of your advantages. Some advantages may carry on, and others may change into available when you’re working.

You need to contact Jobcentre Plus should you’ve found a job and also you or your partner have been getting Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment Allowance, Income Support or Universal Credit.

Your work coach will assist you to administer your move into work, and kind out changes to your other advantages, including tax credits. What you possibly can get will depend upon how long you were claiming these advantages with no break.

Warm Home Discount

You can get £140 off your electricity bill for winter 2023 to 2024 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme. It is a one-off discount in your electricity bill, between October and March. There are 2 ways you might qualify for the Warm Home Discount Scheme.

The primary, is should you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, the second is that if you’re on a low income and meet your energy supplier’s criteria for the scheme.

Cold Weather Payments

For those who are eligible for Cold Weather Payments, you’ll get a payment if the typical temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over 7 consecutive days. You’ll receive £25 for every 7 day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

Free or low-cost broadband from TalkTalk, Virgin Media and BT

Do you realize about Social Tariffs? Ofcom has discovered that tens of millions of families fighting the rising cost of living could save £144 each on their annual broadband costs.

Free prescriptions for people on low incomes

Some groups are mechanically entitled to free NHS prescriptions. Others can apply for certificates that entitle them to free NHS prescriptions. Some prescribed items are at all times free, including contraceptives and drugs given to hospital inpatients.

Free dental treatment

You might be eligible free of charge dental treatment if you receive Universal Credit and either had no earnings or had net earnings of £435 or less in your last Universal Credit assessment period, or should you or your partner had limited capability for work, and also you either had no earnings or net earnings of £935 or less in your last Universal Credit assessment period.

Eye tests and discounted glasses

You’re entitled to a free NHS sight test should you are under 16, between 16 and 18 years old or are in full time education. You’re also eligible should you are over the age of 60. For those who are registered as partially sighted, blind, have diabetes or glaucoma, you’re also entitled to a free sight test.

Similarly, should you are over the age of 40 and a detailed member of the family has been diagnosed with glaucoma or have been advised by an eye fixed doctor you’re prone to glaucoma, you’re eligible.

You’re also entitled should you or your partner  receive, or are the dependant of somebody receiving:

• Income Support
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• Universal Credit and meet the standards

Free school transport

You might have the ability to get help with home to high school transport on your child. You may search on your postcode here, to see the assistance available in your area.

Free school meals

Your child may have the ability to get free school meals should you get any of the next:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit

Discounted childcare costs

You might have the ability to say back as much as 85% of your childcare costs should you’re eligible for Universal Credit. Essentially the most you possibly can get back every month from childcare costs is £646 for one child and £1108 for two or more children.

£150 towards school uniforms

This depends in your local authority. Check in case your local council provides help with the price of faculty uniform and sports kit. In case your council doesn’t offer help, you possibly can ask your child’s school directly.

£1,200 free money as a part of the Government’s Help to Save scheme

Saving if you’re on a low income seems not possible – but with the Government’s Help to Save account, it’s not only possible but lands you with a whopping 50% bonus.

Food vouchers for teenagers as a part of the Healthy Start scheme

You might qualify for the Healthy Start scheme should you’re at the very least 10 weeks pregnant or you will have at the very least one child that’s under 4. As well as, you should be receiving at the very least of the next advantages:

• Child Tax Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit

Maternity grant as much as £1,000

You can get a one-off payment of £500 to assist towards the prices of getting a toddler. That is often called a Sure Start Maternity Grant. You normally qualify for the grant if you expect your first child, otherwise you’re expecting a multiple birth and have children already. You or your partner must even be in receipt of certain advantages.

Disabled Facilities Grant (as much as £30,000) to make changes to a house

You can be eligible for a grant out of your council should you’re disabled and wish to make changes to your house, equivalent to widening doors and installing ramps, improving access to certain rooms and facilities, providing a vital heating system or adapting lighting and heating controls.

Homeowners can apply for as much as £10,000 to pay for a boiler

You might be eligible for a boiler grant in case your current boiler is over 5 years old and also you claim certainly one of the 16 advantages listed here.

help to pay for double glazing as a part of the Green Homes Scheme

On eighth July 2020, the Chancellor announced a Green Homes Grant available in England, Wales, and Scotland. This scheme enables landlords and homeowners to fund, or partially fund, costs of upgrading their homes’ energy performance.

As much as £300 in Winter Fuel Payments

For those who were born on or before 26 September 1955 you might get between £100 and £300 to assist you pay your heating bills.

Free wigs or fabric support provided by the NHS

You may get free wigs and fabric supports should you are:

• under 16
• 16-18 and in full-time education
• a hospital inpatient
• a war pensioner and the wig or fabric support is on your accepted disablement and you will have a sound war pension exemption certificate

You might even be eligible should you receive certain advantages.

Free health travel costs

f you’re referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a health care provider, dentist or one other primary care health skilled, it’s possible you’ll have the ability to say a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS).

Help with housing costs

You might be eligible for housing profit. This helps with the price of your rent. Housing Profit is not going to cover heating, hot water, energy or food. For those who need assistance, use a advantages calculator to examine what else you could be entitled to.

Help with funeral costs

You may get a Funeral Expenses Payment should you get certain advantages or tax credits, you meet the foundations in your relationship with the deceased and you’re arranging a funeral within the UK, the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

Bereavement support payments

You might have the ability to get Bereavement Support Payment in case your husband, wife or civil partner died within the last 21 months. This should be claimed inside 3 months of your partner’s death to get the complete amount. You may claim as much as 21 months after their death but you’ll get fewer monthly payments.