"Universal Credit claimants can get 22 things for free - including a £1,000 grant"

"Universal Credit claimants can get 22 things for free - including a £1,000 grant"

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/universal-credit-claimants-can-22-6432730

I wonder if the following applies for JSA claimants. I'm on JSA and when I asked my roach two years ago if I could get half price bus or rail fares, which is on this list, she said no.

Free prescriptions for people with zero income or those on a low income
Free dental treatment
Eye tests and discounted glasses
Free school transport
Free school meals
Discounted childcare costs
£150 towards school uniforms - dependent on the local authority
Reduced council tax bills
Capped water bills
Half price bus or rail fares
Free or discounted gym membership
Help with new job costs
Warm Home Discount Scheme of £140 off fuel bills
£25 in Cold Weather Payments
Free or cheap broadband from TalkTalk, Virgin Media and BT
£1,200 free cash on top of savings as part of the Government’s Help to Save scheme
Food vouchers for kids as part of the Healthy Start scheme
Maternity grant up to £1,000
Disabled Facilities Grant (up to £30,000) to make changes to a home
Homeowners can apply for up to £10,000 to pay for a boiler or double glazing as part of the Green Homes Scheme
Up to £300 in Winter Fuel Payments
Free wigs or fabric support provided by the NHS

If you receive jobseeker’s allowance you might also claim the following benefits. You can claim some of these benefits even if you don’t get jobseeker’s allowance.

Free school meals: claim if you get income-based jobseeker’s allowance or child tax credit, but not working tax credit, and have a household income below £16,190 a year. Some income, such as child maintenance, is not counted.

School uniforms: it is up to your local council what, if any, help they give with the cost of school uniforms. Contact your local council.

16-19 bursary: if your child is aged 16-19 and in full-time education they may qualify for a bursary. Apply directly to their school or college.

Help with your mortgage: if you have a mortgage you may be able to apply for Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI). This is a loan to help you pay the interest on your mortgage. Contact the Gingerbread Single Parent Helpline for advice.

Help with rent: you can apply for housing benefit to help with the cost of your rent at the same time as applying for jobseeker’s allowance, or you can make a claim directly to your local council. Housing benefit is available if you live in private rented, local authority or housing association accommodation.

Help with council tax: if you are the only adult in your home that has to pay council tax, you qualify for a 25 per cent discount on the bill. You may also qualify for help with the rest of the bill through your local council tax reduction scheme. Apply at your local council.

Extra help with rent: if you get housing benefit but need extra financial help to pay the rent, you can ask your local council for a top-up payment. This is called a discretionary housing payment. You do not have an automatic right to this type of payment; it is up to your local council to decide. If you can, get advice from a local advice centre before you apply.

Maternity expenses: if you are pregnant or have recently given birth or adopted a baby, you may get maternity, paternity or adoption benefits. See the Gingerbread factsheet Money during maternity, paternity and adoption.

Funeral expenses: if you are arranging a funeral you could qualify for a payment to help with the cost. The money may have to be paid back from the deceased’s estate if possible.

Cold weather payment: if you get income-based jobseeker’s allowance and have a child under five, or you get the disability or severe disability element of child tax credit, you should automatically receive a cold weather payment. These are paid in periods of very cold weather as defined by the government.

Healthy Start vouchers: you may be entitled to vouchers for food or vitamins if you are pregnant or have a child under the age of four and:

You receive income-based jobseeker’s allowance
You do not work, or work less than 16 hours a week and your income is under £16,190 a year.
Prescriptions and health costs: if you get income-based jobseeker’s allowance, you can get free prescriptions, dental treatment, sight tests, fares to hospital, wigs and fabric supports. You can also get vouchers towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses.

Child benefit: claim if you have a child under 16, or under 20 if they are in full-time non-advanced education (e.g. sixth form or further education college) or on approved training. It pays £21.15 a week for your first child and £14 a week for every other child.

Child tax credit: If you get income-based jobseeker’s allowance you will also receive the maximum amount of child tax credit. The actual amount depends on how many children you are responsible for. If you have separated from a partner tell the tax credit office about your change in circumstances straight away. See our factsheet Tax credits when your circumstances change for more information.

https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/information/benefits-tax-credits-and-universal-credit/if-youre-not-working/claiming-jobseekers-allowance-benefits/

There are some other sources of help.

Thanks. Just saw your reply now.

Free or cheap broadband from TalkTalk, Virgin Media and BT

I've never heard of this one. We've been with VM since before they were VM. Not once when I was negotiating a cheaper contract last July did they ask if we were on UC. I've not seen a link on their site to that offer either.

D.Appleby wrote:Uswitch recently found that two-thirds of financially vulnerable households are unaware that low-income broadband tariffs exist. That's a rough total of ten million homes that could save up to £234 a year — or nearly £20 per month — on a cheaper broadband contract*.

Thank you for this. VM did drop their price by £14 a month, but it's worth knowing the above as well.