12 days out for free or for as little as £1 for Universal Credit claimants this Easter bank holiday
THOUSANDS on Universal Credit and other benefits can get tickets for days out from free this Easter Bank Holiday.
Plenty of UK attractions offer heavily discounted or even free admissions to those on benefits.
It means there’s no need to break the bank if you want to get out of the house next weekend.
We’ve rounded up some of the best places you can head to while saving some of that hard-earned money.
London Zoo
The iconic London Zoo offers tickets from £3 to those on a host of benefits. This includes those on:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Income Support
- income-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
The tickets must be bought in advance and can only be purchased online, for up to six people per household.
Children aged under three can attend for free and do not need to book, but must be accompanied by an adult with a ticket.
The zoo’s websites also says it sometimes releases extra Universal Credit tickets for sold-out dates closer to the day, so it’s worth checking ahead.
You can find out more by visiting www.londonzoo.org/plan-your-visit/london-zoo-tickets/universal-credit-tickets.
Peak standard entry tickets can cost up to £34.50 per adult, so two adults on Universal Credit buying a ticket can save over £60.
Eden Project
The Eden Project, an eco centre in Cornwall, offers tickets to adults on Universal Credit, Pension Credit and a host of other benefits.
This includes those on:
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- ESA
- JSA
- Child Tax Credits
- Working Tax Credits
- Income Support
Tickets for adults cost £5 and £1 for children aged five to 16, for households up to two adults and two children.
All children aged under five can go for free.
The Eden Project website says tickets can be bought on the gate on the day of arrival, but strongly recommends pre-booking online.
You can find out more via www.edenproject.com/visit/universal-credit-pension-credit-day-ticket.
Royal Horticultural Society gardens
The Royal Horticultural Society runs garden centres up and down the UK, with some offering discounts to those on benefits.
Visitors to the Harlow Carr garden centre or Rosemoor garden centre can get tickets for £1 for themselves and up to five people.
The group can be a mixture of children and adults, but only one member of the group needs to be receiving benefits.
You qualify if you receive the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Income Support
- JSA
- ESA
You can find out more and book tickets via rhs.org.uk.
London Transport Museum
If you’re on Universal Credit, Pension Credit or a host of other benefits, you can get unlimited access to the London Transport Museum for a year for just £1.
The full list of qualifying benefits is:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- ESA
You will need to provide proof of receipt of one of the above benefits to get the annual pass.
You can find out more via www.ltmuseum.co.uk/visit/tickets.
Historic Royal Palaces
Visitors to any one of the historic Royal Palaces on Universal Credit can get tickets for just £1.
This includes the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Hillsborough Castle and Gardens and Kew Palace.
You’ll be eligible for the cut price tickets if you in receipt of any number of benefits including:
- Universal Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
You can claim £1 tickets for up to six people per household, with only one person needing to prove they’re on benefits.
You can find out more via www.hrp.org.uk/one-pound-tickets
Cutty Sark
Take a trip to the Cutty Sark, in Greenwich, London, and get tickets for just £2 if you’re on a range of benefits.
You can also get discounted tickets for trips to the Royal Observatory Greenwich and National Maritime Museum.
The full list of benefits that qualify you for the £2 tickets is:
- Universal Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
- ESA
- Income Support
- JSA
You can claim £2 tickets for up to six people per household.
Tickets for kids under four and for someone accompanied by a disabled visitor are free of charge.
You can find out more via www.rmg.co.uk/plan-your-visit/tickets-prices/universal-credit-tickets.
York Castle Museum
Take in hundreds of years of history at York Castle Museum with discounted ticket prices.
Claimants on means-tested benefits like Universal Credit can get entry completely free of charge.
Children under five also go free.
Adult tickets usually cost £17 so a family of two children aged over five and two adults on Universal Credit could save over £50.
Find out more via www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk/your-visit/tickets.
Coral Reef Waterworld
Coral Reef Waterworld in Bracknell offers concessionary tickets to those on certain benefits like Universal Credit.
Adult tickets usually costing £18.60 are worth £13.20 if you’re on Universal Credit or PIP, for example – a more than £5 discount.
The discounted tickets aren’t available to those on Tax Credits, JSA or ESA.
You can buy the tickets online via everyoneactivecoralreefwaterworld.digitickets.co.uk.
Edinburgh Zoo
Take in zebras and flamingos at Edinburgh Zoo without spending too much of that hard-earned cash.
Reduced price tickets are open to those on the following benefits, costing from £7:
- Universal Credit
- ESA
- JSA
- Housing Benefit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Income Support
Tickets can be bought for households up to six with proof of receipt of the benefits as well as ID needing to brought on the day of the visit.
To qualify you must have received a benefit payment in the last month.
Edinburgh Zoo says you must book any tickets in advance with only full price tickets available on the gate.
You can book via edinburghzoo.org.uk/universal-credit-tickets.
Standard adult tickets usually cost around £27.50, so you’re saving just over £20 opting for a Universal Credit entry.
National Theatre of Scotland
Theatre lovers can sign up to Theatre for a Fiver to get £5 ticket deals for National Theatre of Scotland productions across Scotland.
You’ll need to be aged between 14 and 26 though.
Once you sign up, you’ll receive a regular email containing the latest offers and discount codes to access great theatre for only a fiver.
The scheme is available to people on low-income benefits including: Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Carer’s Credit, Housing Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).
Tank Museum
The Tank Museum in Dorset offers discounted tickets if you’re on any number of benefits including Universal Credit and Pension Credit.
Recipients of the following benefits get 75% off:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- ESA
- Income Support
- JSA
Tickets cost £5.75 for adults and £3.10 for children.
You’ll have to take proof of eligibility of the qualifying benefits with you on your visit.
Tickets are limited to six people per household (maximum two adults and up to four children) and must be bought on-site.
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House, south west of Sheffield, offers cut price tickets to those on Universal Credit.
Tickets give you access to the house, garden, farmyard and adventure playground and cost £3 for adults and £1 for children three to 16.
Universal Credit tickets are available for those who currently receive one or more of the following:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- PIP
Tickets are only available to buy online in advance and proof of receipt of the qualifying benefit must be taken with you on the day of your visit.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
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