Major change to Universal Credit savings account from tomorrow – see if you can get £1,200 free cash
HUNDREDS of thousands on Universal Credit will benefit from a major change to a Government savings account from tomorrow.
HMRC is loosening its eligibility criteria for the Help to Save scheme meaning those on lower incomes can apply.
The scheme is currently open to those on tax credits and Universal Credit claimants who earned £846.56 or more in their last assessment period.
However, from tomorrow, if you’re on Universal Credit you only need to have earned £1 in your previous assessment period to apply.
The Government confirmed the change to Help to Save as part of its Autumn Budget last October.
Ministers also extended the scheme, which was supposed to end this April, to April 2027.
Extending the scheme to all working Universal Credit claimants means a further 550,000 will be able to apply and a total 3million will be eligible.
However, recent Government data reveals just 517,000 Help to Save accounts have been opened since the scheme launched in 2018.
It means millions who could be accessing free cash through the savings scheme are missing out.
What is Help to Save and how to apply?
Help to Save is a savings scheme for people on low incomes who receive either Universal Credit or tax credits.
The Government gives you a tax-free 50% bonus on whatever you save.
You can save between £1 and £50 into a Help to Save account each month and keep one open for up to four years.
That means if you add £50 in every month for four years you receive £1,200 free cash from the Government.
Bonuses are paid at the end of the second and fourth year of you holding the account.
The bonus is paid at the end of the two years based on the highest balance you had in the account during that period.
So, if you had £600 in there but withdrew £200 for an emergency during the two year window, you would still earn a £300 bonus.
The bonus at the end of the third and fourth year is paid based on the difference between the highest balance you held in the account in years one and two and your highest balance in years three and four.
For example, if you held a maximum of £600 in your account in the first two years, then saved £1,600 in the third and fourth, you would get a £500 bonus at the end of the four years (50% of £1,000).
Withdrawals from a Help to Save account can take up to three working days to clear.
You can apply for a Help to Save account via www.gov.uk/get-help-savings-low-income/how-to-apply.
You’ll need your National Insurance (NI) number or postcode to hand, as well as two of the following:
- a valid UK passport
- a UK photocard driving licence issued by the DVLA (or DVA in Northern Ireland)
- details of a tax credit claim, if you made one
- details from a Self Assessment tax return in the last 2 years, if you made one
- information held on your credit record, if you have one (such as loans, credit cards or mortgages)
You’ll also be asked to provide your UK bank details when you apply.
If you don’t already claim Universal Credit or tax credits, it’s worth seeing if you’re eligible.
There are three free calculators you can use to see what you might be entitled to:
Positives and negatives of Help to Save
One major perk to Help to Save is that you can start adding into it from just £1 a month.
Another is that you can dip into your savings at any point in case of an emergency.
One major drawback is that you can only receive the bonus at the end of the second and fourth years.
Another is that withdrawals can take up to three working days to process meaning you’re left waiting for emergency cash.
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