12 freebies and discounts you can get on Universal Credit and benefits in June worth up to £9,871 including childcare

MILLIONS of people claiming Universal Credit and other benefits can get thousands of pounds worth of freebies or discounts in June.

The help can come as a lifeline for struggling families dealing with the rising cost of living.

PA

You can get extra support worth thousands if you’re on Universal Credit[/caption]

The exact amount of support you can get depends on your circumstances, but as much as £9,871 is up for grabs this year.

Here’s the help you can get this month.

CHEAP BROADBAND – £300

Households on benefits such as Universal Credit can save money on their broadband and mobile phones through social tariffs.

These special tariffs are offered by providers for people on low income, often on benefits, and start from around £10 a month.

The exact criteria varies by provider so you will need to check with individual suppliers.

You can use The Sun’s tool, created with Nous, to find out whether you qualify for cheaper broadband at nous.co/thesun.

BT, Virgin Media O2, Community Fibre, Hyoeroptic and KCOM are among the providers that offer the deals.

It’s worth comparing the deals against standard deals on price comparison sites to check you really can save cash.

The amount you’ll slash off bills depends on how much you are already paying. However, one woman previously revealed to The Sun how switching had saved her £300 a year.

COUNCIL TAX REDUCTION – £2,171

Council tax is a priority bill, which means if you don’t pay it, you could end up in court.

You can cut down your council tax and in some cases get it wiped completely through Council Tax Support.

The scheme helps those on a low income or benefits can get money off.

The discount you can get varies depending on your circumstances and where you live.

The average Band D council tax bill currently stands at £2,171 a year, which means there are substantial savings to be made.

You can find help get by using the Government’s online tool at gov.uk/apply-for-council-tax-discount.

ENERGY BILL – £750

Many of the biggest suppliers offer energy bill help through hardship funds worth up to £750.

Some energy firms offer energy-saving gadgets too.

You need to contact your supplier directly to see what its eligibility criteria is and what you could get.

If you don’t qualify for help through your energy firm, there are also charities and organisations that offer cash to struggling families.

Turn2Us has a free grants search tool to help you find the help available to you.

Plus, the Household Support Fund, which helps families with the rising cost of living, is open until the end of August.

Help you can get includes cash grants and energy or supermarket vouchers.

The support is issued by local councils so you should contact yours to see what’s available.

You can do this by using the Government’s council locator tool online.

PREGNANCY GRANT – £500

If you’re claiming benefits and expecting your first child, or if you have children already and are expecting twins or triplets, you could qualify for the Sure Start Maternity grant.

It’s a one-off payment worth £500 to help with the cost of having a child.

New parents must claim the grant within 11 weeks of the baby’s due date or up to six months after the baby is born.

To claim, you’ll need to print out and fill in the Sure Start Maternity Grant (SF100) claim form.

A health professional such as a doctor or midwife must also sign it before you post it – you can send it for free to: Freepost DWP SSMG.

FREE FOOD – £442

New or expectant parents can also 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.

If you are eligible, you are issued with a card which you can use in a number of supermarkets and retailers.

You can only use the card to buy certain products such as cow’s milk, fresh, frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables and tinned pulses.

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

You 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 guide.

FREE CHILDCARE – £1,739

You might be able to get help with some of your childcare costs if you claim Universal Credit.

You can get 85% of your costs paid each month up to a maximum of £1,014 for one child or £1,739 for two or more kids.

You used to have to pay childcare costs yourself up front and then claim the money back through Universal Credit.

But now, some Universal Credit claimants can get it covered without having to fork out first after a change to rules following The Sun’s Make Universal Credit Work campaign.

To get the help you’ll need to make a claim via your Universal Credit online account.

You’ll need to be working – and your partner if you live with them – or have a job offer, but t doesn’t matter how many hours you or your partner works.

WATER BILL SAVINGS – £1,000

Large families on Universal Credit or other benefits may also be eligible for a cap on their bills under the WaterSure scheme.

To qualify, you need to already have a water meter installed and be able to prove you need to use a lot of water.

You also need to have three or more children under the age of 19 living in the house and receive child benefit for them.

The amounts you can get off vary, but one saver got more than £1,000 refunded through the scheme.

Water companies can also offer free water-saving devices to households to help slash their bills.

Contact your supplier to see what help is on offer and find out more on the SaveWaterSaveMoney website.

FREE NHS PRESCRIPTIONS – £119

People on certain benefits and who meet specific criteria can get free NHS prescriptions.

NHS prescriptions currently cost £9.90 in the UK, based on one prescription per month, that’s a £118.80 saving over the year.

You might also get help covering prescriptions, dental and eye care costs through the NHS Low Income scheme.

You could even get free wigs and help covering the cost of travel, if it’s to health appointments.

How much you’ll be entitled to depends on financial factors including your outgoings and the amount of savings you have in the bank.

You can use the eligibility checker tool and find out more on the NHS website to find out what you might be in line for.

TRAVEL COSTS- £150

Universal Credit claimants can get 50% off their bus and train fares with the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount.

You’ll need to be unemployed, looking for work and on Jobseeker’s Allowance to qualify.

And you’ll also need to have claimed Universal Credit for three to nine months if you’re aged between 18 and 24 years old.

For those aged 25 or older, you must have claimed the benefit for three to 12 months to be eligible for a discount.

However, ultimately it’s up to your local JobCentre Plus branch to decide – ask for more details at your local branch.

There’s’ also the Flexible Support Fund, which is a pot of money that has been set aside by the government to help people with the costs of getting a job.

The fund is managed by local job centres and can be used to cover the following costs of job hunting:

• Training for a job, up to £150
• Travel to interviews
• Childcare
• Tools for work
• Cost of medical evidence required by a disabled person
• Clothing and uniforms to start work
• Support for single parents in financial emergencies in the first 26 weeks of starting a job.

You can find out more about how to apply in our guide.

FREE SCHOOL MEALS – £500

In England, if you have children at a state school in reception, year 1 or year 2, they are entitled to free school meals regardless of your household income.

However, if you’re claiming certain benefits, including Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Child Tax Credits, you can get free school meals for older children too.

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 gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals.

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 like Christmas and Easter, as well as half terms.

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 add 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 here.

Help paying for funerals – £1,000

You might be able to get help covering the costs of a funeral for a loved one through a Funeral Expenses Payment.

It can be used to contribute towards the cost of burial fees, cremation fees and death certificates.

You can also get up to £1,000 for any other funeral expenses including director’s fees, flowers or the coffin.

Payments don’t usually cover all of the costs of the funeral.

You can claim the payment via the Bereavement Service helpline on 0800 151 2012.

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