Latest news with #Income-basedJobseeker'sAllowance
Daily Mirror
26-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Parents could get £200 boost before the kids go back to school - here's how
The additional funds are there to help cover costs Parents in the UK could be entitled to an additional £200 before the children go back to school. This non-repayable cash is designated to help pay for school uniforms. However, it is only available to certain families on low income living in specific areas. In the majority of cases you will qualify if your child is eligible for free school meals. Consumer finance website Money Saving Expert (MSE), founded by Martin Lewis, explained more about who can get the grant. MSE said: 'Generally, the minimum UK-wide requirement to get a school uniform grant is to qualify for means-tested free school meals - even if you don't actually get them. Typically, to get means-tested free school meals, you need to be getting a specified benefit.' These include: Universal Credit (you're eligible after you've got your first payment) Child Tax Credit The 'guaranteed element' of Pension Credit Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Income Support Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 However, the exact criteria for free school meals varies slightly around the UK. For more information on how to apply in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, visit the MSE website here. It's also important to note that local authorities can set their own school uniform grant eligibility criteria, and some councils include additional requirements. 'For example, in some cases your child has to be in a specific year group or moving from primary to secondary school to qualify,' MSE said. In England, the amount you can get will depend on your local council. Visit the MSE website here for a breakdown of which local authorities offer what. MSE said: 'In England, whether you can get a school uniform grant is a postcode lottery as it's down to your local council to decide whether to offer one, how much you get and the eligibility criteria.' Currently, only 22 out of 150 councils in England offer this grant. A further seven do offer financial support for uniforms but only in exceptional circumstances, for example, where you've suffered a fire, flood or have been made homeless. MSE said: 'If your council isn't listed above, ask if it has other help available. Under the Household Support Fund, councils in England can access funding to help those most in need with the cost of daily essentials, including school clothing in some cases. 'Each council can choose how to distribute the money, so eligibility criteria and what you can get varies – for example, some have given extra funding to schools to hand out, while others provide direct help to vulnerable households in the form of supermarket vouchers. 'The scheme is set to run until April 2026. After this, councils will continue to receive funding for a new 'Crisis and Resilience Fund', a long-term scheme which will aim to protect families from crisis. However, it's not clear yet how specific individual councils will use this funding. 'It's worth contacting your council to find out what it offers. If you can't access financial support under the Household Support Fund, your council may have other schemes in place that could help you.' Grants in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland School uniform grants are offered by all local authorities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria. Here's a rough guide: The amount you get varies by council, but it'll be at least £120 The deadline to apply varies by council See for the link to your council's application form Wales: Northern Ireland: You can get up to £93.60 per child However, the deadline to apply was 25 July 2025
Daily Mirror
24-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Exact date households can qualify for £150 energy help this winter
The Warm Home Discount is worth £150 and is paid directly to your energy supplier - so you get it as a discount straight off your energy bill, or as credit The exact date you need to be claiming benefits by to get the Warm Home Discount later this year has been revealed. The Warm Home Discount is worth £150 and is paid directly to your energy supplier - so you get it as a discount straight off your energy bill, or as credit if you're a prepayment customer. It is normally paid in October or November. In order to receive the Warm Home Discount, you must be claiming one of the following benefits on August 24: Guaranteed credit element of Pension Credit Income Support Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Housing Benefit Universal Credit "Savings Credit" part of Pension Credit The Warm Home Discount is paid automatically in England and Wales. If you live in Scotland, the payment is also automatic if you get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit. For the other benefits listed above, you'll need to apply through your energy supplier. There is no equivalent scheme in Northern Ireland. It comes after the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), which is charge of funding the Warm Home Discount, confirmed it will remove the high-cost-to-heat threshold for the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales. This is a score that determined whether a property is considered to have high energy costs, as this used to be a qualifying criteria for getting the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales. DESNZ estimates the total number of households that will receive the discount next winter could rise by 2.7 million, to an estimated 6.1 million. Other ways to cut your energy bill If you're struggling, your first step should be to contact your energy provider and ask what help is available. You should ideally do this before you fall behind on a payment. Some of the tailored support you may be offered includes a payment plan, payment breaks and affordable debt repayments. It is also worth asking them if you're definitely on their cheapest deal. If you're a prepayment energy customer and you're worried about running out of power, you should be able to access emergency credit. This is usually worth between £5 and £10, but some may offer more than this - for example, Utilita gives customers up to £15. You should also check if your energy firm offers hardship funds or grants that you don't need to pay back. For example, the British Gas Energy Trust offers help worth up to £2,000. In the winter, there are Cold Weather Payments worth £25 that are issued when the average temperature is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0C or below over seven consecutive days. This is available to people on certain benefits. There are also Winter Fuel Payments worth up to £300 for pensioner households. Finally, the following charities can offer you support if you are struggling to pay for your energy, or if you are in energy debt:
Daily Mirror
23-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Universal Credit cash rule change means benefit payments won't be stopped
Under the current rules, benefit claimants who have received compensation after a criminal conviction may find themselves ineligible for some means-tested benefits Victims of miscarriages of justice will no longer have their compensation taken into account when claiming benefits such as Universal Credit. Under the current rules, benefit claimants who have received compensation after a criminal conviction may find themselves ineligible for some means-tested benefits, which are issued to people depending on their income and how much money they have in savings. For example, you are not eligible for Universal Credit if you have more than £16,000 in savings or investments. But moving forward, a rule that meant compensation payments were included as part of your capital has now been scrapped. This applies to six means-tested benefits including: Universal Credit, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and Pension Credit. It comes after the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) increased the maximum amount miscarriage of justice victims can receive through the Miscarriage of Justice Compensation Scheme from £1million to £1.3million. Sir Stephen Timms MP, minister for social security and disability, said: "Rebuilding trust in our systems begins by restoring trust with those the system has failed. "We can't return the years lost by miscarriage of justice victims — but we can, and must, ensure they have every opportunity to restart their lives so they can make the most of the years ahead." Alex Davies-Jones, minister for victims and violence against women and girls, added: "Miscarriages of justice steal irreplaceable time and devastate lives. "Better benefit support combined with the uplift of the compensation cap will make a real difference, providing not just financial redress but rightfully deserved recognition to individuals affected." If you claim Universal Credit and you have over £6,000 in money, savings and investments, your benefit is normally be reduced by £4.35 for every £250 you have between £6,000 and £16,000. If the amount you have saved doesn't add up exactly to £250, but is over the threshold, another £4.35 is deducted from your Universal Credit. For example, if you have £6,300 in savings, the first £6,000 would not be subject to any deductions, but the other £300 would see your payments deducted by £8.70. This would be £4.35 deduced for the first £250, then another £4.35 for the remaining £50 that makes up the £300. These figures apply if you're a single claimant, or claiming as part of a couple. You are normally not eligible for Universal Credit if you have more than £16,000 in savings. If you claim Tax Credits and you've been asked to move to Universal Credit, you may still be able to get Universal Credit for up to a year if you have more than £16,000.
Daily Mirror
21-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Full list of requirements to be eligible for Warm Homes Discount
6 million households are due to receive the £150 discount this winter This winter, millions more individuals will be eligible for the Warm Home Discount, a £150 reduction on their electricity bills. This is due to new eligibility criteria released this month, although the benefit is only set to start being distributed around October. Eligibility for the benefit falls into one of two categories. Previously, these were:. People receiving the Guarantee element of Pension Credit - Core Group 1. People with low income and high energy costs - Core Group 2. People in Scotland identified by their supplier as at risk of fuel poverty - Broader Group. However, the recent update has made it so that people in core group 2 no longer need to have high energy costs to qualify. Simply claiming one of the qualifying benefits will be enough to receive the discount this winter. The current full list of qualifying benefits includes: Housing Benefit. Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Income Support. The 'Savings Credit' part of Pension Credit. Universal Credit. If you receive Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit, you may also be eligible, provided your household income falls below a certain threshold. To qualify, the person receiving the qualifying benefit must be named on the energy bill. The money is not paid to you like cash in hand; instead, it is applied to your bill by your electricity supplier. If you're on a prepayment meter, you might find a voucher arriving via post or email instead. Those residing in Scotland are encouraged to get in touch with their energy supplier if they think they may qualify under the core or broader groups. Official statistics suggest that over 6 million households will benefit from the scheme this year, marking an increase of 2.7 million. Among these, 900,000 are families with children and 1.8 million are homes experiencing fuel poverty. Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented: "I know families are still struggling with the cost of living, and I know the fear that comes with not being able to afford your next bill. "Providing security and peace of mind for working people is deeply personal to me as Prime Minister and foundational for the Plan for Change. "I have no doubt that, like rolling out free school meals, breakfast clubs and childcare support, extending this £150 energy bills support to millions more families will make a real difference." While this is a major update for the seasonal benefit. A bigger announcement is expected later this year as the scheme in its current form expires in March 2026, although it has been extended in the past.
Scottish Sun
20-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Five freebies and discounts parents on Universal Credit can get worth up to £3,286
Check to see what vouchers you could get your hands on CASH IN Five freebies and discounts parents on Universal Credit can get worth up to £3,286 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PARENTS on Universal Credit could be entitled to freebies and deals worth over £3,000. With childcare costs on the rise, looking after growing tots can be challenging. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Family Nature Walk: Parents and Children Enjoying Summer Forest Stroll Credit: Getty But for struggling families there may be some extra cash and perks they can get their hands on - some of which they may never had heard of. Here is what is available... PREGNANCY GRANT - £500 New parents can claim this one-off grant within 11 weeks of the baby's due date or up to six months after the baby is born. It's a payment worth £500 to help with the cost of having a child. Parents will need to print out and fill in the Sure Start Maternity Grant (SF100) claim form and have it signed by a doctor or midwife. You could qualify for the Sure Start Maternity grant if you're claiming benefits and expecting your first child. You can also qualify if you have children already and are expecting twins or triplets. HEALTHY START - £442 New or expectant parents can 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. The scheme issues parents with a card they can use in supermarkets, which gives them free access to milk, frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables and tinned pulses. Disability benefit explained - what you can claim 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 Parents 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 full guide. FREE CHILDCARE - £1,739 Parents on Universal Credit may also be entitled to help with childcare costs. You'll need to be working - and your partner if you live with them - or have a job offer. But it doesn't matter how many hours you or your partner work. You can get 85 per cent of your expenses paid each month up to a maximum of £1,014 for one child or £1,739 for two or more kids. FREE SCHOOL MEALS - £500 Children whose parents receive income support such as Universal Credit, Job seeker's Allowance and Child Tax Credits can receive free school meals. 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 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 including Christmas and Easter, as well as half terms. If your child is eligible for free school meals, they'll also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme offering kids free activities to take part in outside of school.
