Five ways parents can get help with summer holiday costs including childcare and food if you're on Universal Credit

Scottish Sun

a day ago

Find out how you can get free food, activities and vouchers
HELPING HAND Five ways parents can get help with summer holiday costs including childcare and food if you're on Universal Credit
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SUMMER holidays can end up costly for parents, especially those already struggling with the cost of living.
Parents can find themselves forking out an extra £1,000 a week over the summer break.
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The school holidays can end up expensive for parents but we've got tips that can help
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If they choose to go on holiday, the average price of a getaway for a family of four is more than £3,600.
But there are some ways you can keep the costs down - especially if you're on benefits like Universal Credit.
The Sun explains what you can do...
'Kids eat free' offers
Over the summer holidays you'll find plenty of cafe and restaurant chains run 'kids eat free' offers.
These are especially common in supermarket cafes and in restaurant chains aimed at families.
For example, Tesco gives children a free meal over the holidays as long as you buy something from the adult menu.
Asda offers kids' meals for £1 but you don't need to buy anything else to get the deal.
Other chains like Pizza Express, TGI Fridays, Franco Manca and Bill's also usually offer deals over the holidays.
These tend to apply to any parents - not just those on Universal Credit or other benefits.
Free clubs
Low income families can get help from their local council through the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.
I've saved £15k on trips to Ibiza, Mallorca & Turkey with term time holidays - I'll never stop, fines are a tax on the working class
It can be used to sign children up to sports, music and arts clubs, and it also offers them a nutritious meal each day for free.
The help on offer varies by council but families who receive free school meals are usually eligible.
In some areas you can get holiday club places for the equivalent of at least four hours a day.
You should contact your local authority to see what's available, whether you're eligible and how to apply.
Am I entitled to Universal Credit?
According to the GOV website, if you're on a low income or need help with your living costs, then you could be entitled to Universal Credit.
To claim, you must live in the UK, be aged 18 or over (with some exceptions if you're 15 to 17), be under State Pension age, and have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments.
Other circumstances are if you are out of work, or unable to work, for example because of a health condition.
Food and energy bills vouchers
Another scheme run by local councils is the Household Support Fund (HSF).
Councils across England have been allocated a share of a huge £742million pot that can be spent on helping struggling residents.
The latest round of funding is running until March 2026.
Local authorities can choose how to spend their share of the fund, but many are transferring cash to the bank accounts of low-income households or offering vouchers that can be spent on energy bills or at supermarkets.
You usually qualify for help if you are on a low income, benefits or classed as vulnerable.
You should contact your local council to find out what's on offer and whether you qualify for support.
Use an app for free or discounted food
Some apps can help you get hold of free or heavily discounted food that would otherwise go to waste.
Olio lets businesses and households offer up food that would be going into the bin.
It's often on a first-come-first-served basis so you'll need to be quick to snap up any items you want.
Another app you can try is Too Good To Go, which gives you 'surprise bags' of food at a discounted price.
Bear in mind you won't know what you're getting beforehand.
Free activities
Loads of UK attractions offer heavily discounted or even free admissions for people on Universal Credit or other key benefits.
Some of these include ZSL London Zoo, which offers tickets for just £3 for those on Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, or Jobseeker's Allowance.
Peak tickets usually start from £33.
Meanwhile you can get in for free at York Castle Museum, or for just £1 at Kew Gardens or any of the Historic Royal Palaces.
You can see the full list of places here.
Cut childcare costs
You may be able to get tax-free childcare that can save you 20% on childcare costs over the summer.
If you have two kids in clubs for five weeks, that's worth about £300.
The help is available for children aged under 12, or 17 if your child has a disability.
Eligible parents get up to £500 every three months — a total of £2,000 per year — per child to help with care such as nurseries and after-school clubs.
You can also use it toward the cost of holiday clubs.
You cannot use the scheme if you are on Universal Credit or receive tax credits - and you risk losing your benefits if you apply.
However you can claim for help with childcare costs separately through Universal Credit instead.