Millions of people every year receive financial support from the government in the form of benefits, but if you’re finding it hard to get by, there may be other sources of help available.
While benefits and other government payments help people across the country, they can still often fall short of covering day-to-day needs, and with the rising cost of living, many people are feeling more financially stretched than ever.
If you’re looking for more support, here’s our round-up of all the sources of help you might be able to claim if you claim benefits or are on a low income.
Contents
- What extra help can you get with bills?
- Can you get help with the cost of finding work?
- Can you get help with day to day costs?
- What help with health and wellbeing costs can you get?
- Help to Save
- Can you get extra help if you have a disability?
- Is there help you can get with funeral costs and bereavement?
- Can you get help with legal costs?
- Can you get extra help if you have parental responsibility for grandchildren?
What extra help can you get with bills?
1. Reduced Council Tax bills
If you’re on a low income or you receive benefits such as income support, Jobseeker’s allowance (income-based) or Pension Credit, you might be able to claim a reduction on your Council Tax bills.
Local councils each run their own schemes, so the eligibility criteria and the amount you might be entitled to will vary depending on where you live and your situation, but you could get a reduction of as much as a 100%.
To apply, you’ll need to get in touch with your local council. You can search for your council’s contact details here.
Read more about how you could reduce your council tax in our article Six ways you might be able to save money on your Council Tax bills.
2. Water bill cap
You might be able to get a cap on the amount you pay for your water bill if you’re on a water meter, or are in the process of getting one and you receive certain benefits, or if you have a medical condition that means you need to use a lot of water.
If you are granted a cap on your water bills, no matter how much water you use, you’ll only ever be charged a certain amount.
Caps to your water bills are managed differently depending on where you live:
England
In England caps to water bills are handled by individual water suppliers under the WaterSure scheme, which means that the eligibility criteria will vary from supplier to supplier.
Generally, to qualify for the scheme you’ll need to be on a water meter or have applied for one and either have an essential need for high water consumption, or be receiving one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Support
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit awarded at a rate higher than the family element
You might also be eligible if you receive Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments, but this will vary between suppliers.
An essential need for high water consumption will usually arise if you have a medical condition that means you need to use a lot of water, such as certain skin conditions or bowel issues, or if you have three children or more under 19 and in full-time education living in your household.
The best way to see if you’re eligible is to get in touch with your water supplier to understand what they offer. If you aren’t eligible for WaterSure, you might still be able to get a grant or support from your supplier if they provide this, so it’s worth checking with them.
Wales
Wales has its own WaterSure Scheme which will cap your water bills at £374.01 a year (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023) if you’re eligible. The qualifying criteria are pretty much identical to the English scheme, but rather than applying to your supplier to see if you qualify, you’ll need to apply directly to the WaterSure Wales scheme.
You can check your eligibility and apply on the WaterSure Wales website.
Scotland
Scotland doesn’t have an official scheme for capping your water bills, however, if you’re struggling with yours, it’s worth reaching out for help from your supplier.
Generally if you’re on a water meter, you’ll need to speak to Scottish Water to see whether there are any more manageable payment options you might be eligible for.
If you don’t have a water meter and aren’t on a private water supply then it’s likely your water is provided by your council, so if you’re having trouble with your bills, then you should get in contact with them to talk about any potential support they can offer. You can find your local council here.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland doesn’t have a scheme for people on low income or benefits, but instead has a Customer Care Register for older customers, or those with long term medical conditions.
If you think you fit the criteria and might need help, then visit the Northern Ireland Water website to sign up to their Customer Care Register.
For more tips and tricks of how to keep water bill costs down, have a look at our guide How to reduce your water bills.
3. Warm Home Discount Scheme
People with a low income or who get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit might be able to get a one off discount on their winter electricity bill through the Warm Home Discount Scheme if their energy provider is part of the scheme.
The scheme is usually launched in October or November each year and runs until the following spring. You can read more about this year’s scheme in our article What is the Warm Homes Discount scheme?
4. Cold weather payments
If the temperature in your area averages zero degrees celsius between 1 November and 31 March and you’re claiming low-income benefits, you might be able to get Cold Weather Payments.
If you’re eligible, you’ll receive £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between November and March.
To qualify you’ll need to be receiving one of the following: Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit or Support for Mortgage Interest.
You can find out if you might be due any payments through the government’s locator tool.
5. Cheap broadband and phone packages
A number of providers offer social broadband and phone tariffs for people receiving certain benefits. The eligibility criteria varies between providers, and some require that you’re an existing customer, so make sure to check these details before applying.
| Provider | Tariff | Monthly price | Set up cost | Speed | Contract length | How to apply |
| BT | Home Essentials Unlimited Fibre Essentials Plan (No income) | £15.00 | Not stated | 36Mb | 12 months – no early exit fees | Visit BT |
| Home Essentials Unlimited Broadband | £15.00 | 16Mb | ||||
| Home Essentials Fibre Essentials Plan | £20.00 | 36Mb | ||||
| Home Essentials Fibre 2 Plan | £23.00 | 67Mb | ||||
| Community Fibre | Essential | £12.50 | £14.95 | 35Mb | 12 months – cancellation fees may apply | Visit Community Fibre |
| Country Connect | Social Tariff | £15.00 | Free | 50Mb | 12 months – no early exit fees | Visit Country Connect |
| Hyperoptic | Fair Fibre Plan Fast | £15.00 | Free | 50MB | 30 days | Visit Hyperoptic |
| Fair Fibre Plan Superfast | £20.00 | 150Mb | 30 days | |||
| NOW | Broadband Basics | £20.00 | Not stated | 36Mb | Ongoing monthly contract – no cancellation charges | Visit NOW |
| Sky | Broadband Basics | £20.00 | Not stated | 36Mb | 18 months – no early exit fees | Visit Sky |
| Virgin Media | Essential Broadband | £12.50 | Free | 15Mb | 30 day rolling contract | Visit Virgin Media |
| Essential Broadband plus | £20.00 | 54Mb | 30 day rolling contract | |||
| Vodafone | Essentials Broadband | £20.00 | Free | 73Mb | 12 months no early exit fees | Visit Vodafone |
| Voxi | For Now | £10 | N/a | Unlimited data, calls and texts | Six months | Visit Voxi |
Find out more about social tariffs and how they work in our guide Are you entitled to cheaper broadband?
6. Winter fuel payments
People over the age of 66 could get between £250 and £600 to help cover the cost of their winter energy bills through the Winter Fuel Payment.
Those that receive the State Pension or another social security benefit should receive the Winter Fuel Payment automatically. If you haven’t received your Winter Fuel Payment you’ll need to make a claim, which you can do either over the phone or by post. You can see more information about how to claim it here.
If you receive the Winter Fuel Payment then this year you’ll also be eligible for a pensioner cost of living payment . This is between £150 and £300 and is included in the amounts above. You’ll only get this extra amount in winter 2023 to 2024.
If you want to know more, have a look at our article Winter Fuel Payment: who gets it and when is it paid?
7. Cost of Living Payment
The third and final cost of living payment will be made in February 2024, which is a grant people receiving certain benefits or tax credits to help them cover the cost of living. What you have received and when will depend on what benefits or tax credits you receive. This is in addition to the pensioner payment outlined above, if you qualify for that.
You might be eligible if you’ve been receiving any of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
For more information on eligibility and what to do if you haven’t received a payment, visit gov.uk.
8. Discretionary Housing Payments
If you receive either Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit and you need more help to cover housing costs, you might be able to access Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) from your local council.
Each council will have different thresholds for support and the amount you might be able to get will vary. The easiest way to find out what support is available is to contact your local council.
9. Energy Company Obligation
While the energy price cap rose from £1,834 a year to £1,928 in January for an average home, if your home isn’t particularly energy efficient, or you have a number of people living with you, your bills could easily be much more than this.
If you’re struggling with energy costs and your home’s energy efficiency rating is low, you might be able to get help through the Energy Company Obligation scheme. This scheme might offer you help with the cost of insulation work, a replacement or repairs to your boiler, or other upgrades to your heating system.
The type of support you’ll be eligible for depends on your particular circumstances:
- If you live in social housing, your home will need to have an energy efficiency rating of E, F or G to be able to claim support.
- If you rent from a private landlord, your home needs to have an energy efficiency rating of E, F or G, and you’ll need to receive one the following benefits:
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
- Pension Guarantee Credit
- Pension Savings Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Child Benefit
- Housing Benefit
- If you own your own home, you’ll need to claim one of the above benefits and your home’s energy efficiency rating will need to be D, E, F or G.
You can find out your home’s energy efficiency rating here.
To apply, you’ll need to get in touch with your local council to see if they’re taking part in the scheme, or contact an energy supplier directly.
Can you get help with the cost of finding work?
10. Help with job search costs
If you have financial strains that are preventing you from finding work, then you might be able to get help from the Flexible Support Fund (FSF).
The FSF is a discretionary fund that is available to anyone receiving help from the Jobcentre Plus and gets Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Carer’s Allowance or Pension Credit.
It’s designed to help people with the additional costs they might face when searching for work. For example, you might want to apply for help if you can’t afford to pay for travel to an interview or you need certain equipment to start work but don’t have the money.
To apply for the FSF, you’ll need to speak to your Jobcentre advisor first. They’ll want to know why you need the money and provide evidence that you can’t currently afford to cover costs. As the fund is discretionary, not everyone that applies will be granted it, but if you think you need help, it’s worth enquiring.
You might also be eligible for discounted bus and train fares, which we outline below.
Can you get help with day to day costs?
11. Discounted bus and train fares
People who claim Jobseekers Allowance or Universal Credit might be able to get a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card which will entitle you to 50% off selected rail and bus tickets.
The card is valid for up to three months and is free to claim.
To apply for the card you’ll need to:
- Have been claiming Jobseekers Allowance or Universal Credit for between three and 12 months if you’re aged 25 or older.
- Have been actively looking for work during this time.
- Apply to the Jobcentre, explaining why you need the card – you can find your nearest Jobcentre Plus here.
The Jobcentre makes decisions on a case by case basis, so they won’t automatically give you a card if you apply, but it’s worth asking whether you’re eligible. You can explore other ways to keep travel costs to a minimum in our guide Ten ways to save on car and travel costs.
12. Budgeting Loan
Paying for things outright can be tricky if you’re on a low income or are receiving benefits. To help people in this situation, the government will sometimes provide people with a budgeting advance loan to help them cover the cost of things like furniture or household items, clothes or footwear, rent in advance, costs linked to moving house or other expenses.
Through a Budgeting Loan you can borrow anywhere from £100 up to:
- £348 if you’re single
- £464 if you have a partner
- £812 if you or your partner claim Child Benefit
To qualify for a Budgeting Loan you should have been getting one or more of these benefits for the past 6 months:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
You can read more about the loan and apply here.
People claiming Universal Credit can get similar support through a Budgeting Advance, which you can read more about here.
Can you get any help with health and wellbeing costs?
13. Free or discounted gym membership
Some local councils offer discounts on gym memberships, and other leisure centre activities if you receive certain benefits.
The exact eligibility criteria varies depending on your location, however, lots of leisure centres offer concessionary rates for people receiving benefits such as Universal Credit, Housing benefit, Income Support, Job Seekers’ Allowance, Working Families Tax Credit, or Carers Allowance.
You can either get in touch with your local council to see if they have any schemes you might qualify for or you can contact your local leisure centres to see if they offer concessionary rates.
14. Free prescriptions
If you or your partner (including civil partner) receive certain benefits, you should be entitled to free NHS prescriptions.
To be eligible for free prescriptions, you’ll need to be receiving one of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Universal Credit – but only if your earnings in your last assessment period were £435 or less, or £935 or less if you get an element for a child or have limited capability for work
You won’t be able to claim free prescriptions if you receive any of the following paid on their own:
- Contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit (Savings Credit)
- Any benefit paid on its own and not listed above such as Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or Incapacity Benefit
The quickest and easiest way to if you’re eligible for free prescriptions is through this NHS checker. Once you know if you’re eligible or not you don’t have to do anything else. You can start getting free prescriptions simply by telling your pharmacist that you’re entitled to them. They might ask to see your latest benefit award notice as proof, which you can show either as a letter or on your online account.
If you don’t receive any of the qualifying benefits, you might still be able to get help through the NHS Low Income Scheme.
15. Free dental treatment
If you’re eligible for free prescriptions, it’s likely that you’ll also be able to get free dental treatment.
Again, the easiest way to check is through the NHS checker.
When you visit the dentist, you’ll need to provide evidence that you’re eligible for free dental treatment and will be asked to sign a form to confirm it. It’s important to know that checks are made on free dental treatment claims and that if you claim when you aren’t entitled, you could face a penalty charge and have to pay for the cost of your treatment.
16. Free eye tests and discounted glasses
If you qualify for either of the above, then you should also be eligible for a free NHS sight test and you might also be able to get discount vouchers to use towards glasses or contact lenses.
The eligibility criteria is the same as both the free prescriptions and dental care, so if you fit this criteria you should be able to claim this.
Your optician will usually ask you to fill out a form to say you’re exempt from paying for the service.
17. NHS Low Income Scheme
The above options are largely for those receiving some form of government support, but if you’re on a low income and need help covering health-related costs, you might be able to get help through the NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS).
The scheme can help cover or contribute towards a range of costs including: prescriptions, dental costs, eyecare, healthcare travel costs and wigs and fabric supports.
To qualify for the NHS LIS, you’ll need to have no more than £16,000 in savings, investments or property (not including where you live). This could rise to £23,250 for people who live permanently in a care home. Depending on your circumstances and your income, you might be able to receive full help or partial help.
The criteria for NHS LIS are relatively similar to those for benefits, however, because the assessment for LIS also includes council tax and housing costs, you might be able to get help with health costs even if your income is too high for a means-tested benefit.
You can apply either online on the NHS Business Services Authority website or by post by downloading and completing an HC1 form and posting it.
Help to Save
18. £1,200 free cash through Help to Save scheme
One of the best things anyone can do for their financial resilience is to build up a pot of savings. While this might be tricky to do if you’re receiving benefits, if you open a Help to Save account, you could get as much as £1,200 from the government as a reward.
Help to Save is a type of savings account designed to encourage people who are receiving Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit to start saving.
If you open a Help to Save account, it will run for four years and you can save anywhere between £1 and £50 a month, giving you a potential total of £2,400 over the term. The difference between a Help to Save account and a normal savings account is that rather than earning interest, the government gives you a 50p bonus for every £1 you save. This essentially means if you were to pay in £50 a month for the four-year term of the account and not withdraw any money, then you could earn £1,200 in bonuses.
You can read more about this and other kinds of savings accounts in our article, What are the different types of savings accounts?
Can you get extra help if you have a disability?
19. Disabled Facilities Grant
If you have a disability that means you need changes made to your home, and you might be able to get a Disabled Facilities Grant from your local council. The grant is means tested which means how much you’re eligible to receive depends on where you live, your personal circumstances, your income and your savings. The maximum you could receive is: up to £30,000 in England, up to £36,000 in Wales and up to £25,000 in Northern Ireland.
If you qualify for the grant, it will cover any necessary changes to your home including widening doors, installing ramps, and improving access to rooms and facilities.
For more information and to apply, visit gov.uk.
Can you get help with funeral costs and bereavement?
20. Help with funeral costs
People who receive certain benefits and need help covering the costs of a funeral for a partner, child, close friend or relative, might be able to get help through a Funeral Expenses Payment.
The payment can help cover some of the costs of a funeral including: burial or cremation fees, the cost of the doctor’s certificate, travel arrangements for the funeral, the cost of moving the body within the UK, if it’s being moved more than 50 miles, as well as death certificates or other documents. You might also be able to get up to £1,000 for any other funeral expenses, such as funeral director’s fees, flowers or the coffin.
To be eligible, you’ll need to be receiving one or more of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- The disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
To learn more about the payment and how to apply for it, you can visit gov.uk.
21. Bereavement Support payments
If your husband, wife or civil partner has passed away recently, then you might be able to get up to £9,800 through Bereavement Support payments.
You don’t need to be on a low income or receiving benefits to be able to claim for Bereavement Support payments, nor will your savings or employment status. The payments are available to anyone whose partner has died in the past 21 months and either:
- Died as the result of an accident or disease caused by work.
- Paid National Insurance contributions for a minimum of 25 weeks within one tax year since 6 April 1975.
At the time of their death, your partner will need to have been under State Pension age and been living in the UK or a country that also provides bereavement benefits.
Find out more in our article Bereavement benefits explained.
Can you get help with legal costs?
22. Reduced court fees
If you need to pay court or tribunal fees and you can’t afford it, if you receive certain benefits or have a low income then you might be able to get financial support for this.
You might qualify for support if you:
- Earn £1,170 or less a month if you’re single, or £1,345 or less a month if you have a partner. If you have children you can also earn an additional £265 for each child you have.
- Receive either income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support, Universal Credit (and you earn less than £6,000 a year) or Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit).
You’ll also need to have less than £3,000 in savings and investments if you’re under the age of 61, or less than £16,000 if you’re older than this.
For more information and to see if you’re eligible you can visit gov.uk.
Can you get extra help if you have parental responsibility for grandchildren?
23. Healthy Start scheme
If you have parental responsibility for a grandchild under the age of four and get certain benefits you might be able to get up to £8.50 each week to help pay for healthy food and milk for them.
People who qualify for the Healthy Start scheme will be issued with a card that is topped up every four weeks with a certain amount of money, allowing you to buy fruit, vegetables, pulses, milk and formula. The amount you get depends on the age of the child:
- £8.50 each week for children from birth to 1 year old
- £4.25 each week for children between 1 and 4 years old
The benefits you need to be getting to be eligible inlcude:
- Child Tax Credit ( if your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Pension Credit (including the child addition)
- Universal Credit (but only if your family’s income is £408 or less per month from employment)
- Working Tax Credit run-on (this is what you’ll receive in the 4 weeks immediately after you have stopped working for 16 hours or more per week)
To read more about the Healthy Start scheme and to apply visit gov.uk.
24. Free school transport and meals
If you receive any of the following benefits, then your child might be able to get free school meals, and often if they get this, they’ll also qualify for free school transport.
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
The schemes are usually managed by local councils so you’ll need to contact them for more information, but you can find out more and apply for free school transport here and free school meals here.
25. Discounted childcare costs
If you have parental responsibility for one or more grandchildren aged two and under and you receive one of the qualifying benefits, then you might be eligible for free or discounted childcare costs.
To be eligible for this scheme, you’ll need to be getting one of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (or both), and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
- The Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
To find out more and apply, you’ll need to contact your local council to understand what they offer.
26. £150 towards school uniforms
Depending on where you live you might be able to get a grant to help pay for school uniforms for any grandchildren you have parental responsibility for.
These grants are managed by local councils, so the best way to see if you are able to get support is to contact them directly. You can find your local council here. Some schools will also have their own assistance programmes for school uniform costs, so it’s worth checking with them, too.
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