Financial Support Directory
Real, verified UK schemes and free advice services — organised by what they help with. Nothing here is personalised; it's the same set of links for everyone, so always check the linked page for current eligibility.
Checked September 2026 — details and scheme names do change over time.
Medical
- NHS Low Income Scheme (HC2/HC3) →
Help with prescriptions, dental, eyecare and healthcare travel costs. Many Universal Credit, Pension Credit and income-related ESA claimants qualify automatically.
Food & groceries
- Healthy Start →
A prepaid card for food and milk if you're over 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, and receive Universal Credit (with take-home pay under £408/month) or Pension Credit.
- Find a foodbank (Trussell) →
Postcode-based search across the UK's largest foodbank network. Most foodbanks need a referral voucher — the page explains how to get one.
Cheapest groceries
- Which? Supermarket Price Comparison →
Free monthly ranking of which of 8 major supermarkets (including Aldi and Lidl) is cheapest overall for a typical basket, tracked daily by the independent consumer body Which?.
- Trolley.co.uk →
Compares prices on individual products across most major UK supermarkets, updated daily — useful for checking exactly which store has the best price on a specific item today. Does not currently cover Lidl.
Energy & water
- Warm Home Discount →
A one-off £150 discount off an electricity bill, usually applied automatically if you receive a qualifying means-tested benefit.
- Water company social tariffs →
Every UK water company runs its own reduced-rate tariff for low-income customers — this page from the independent Consumer Council for Water explains how to check with yours.
Council tax
- Council Tax Reduction →
Can cut your bill by up to 100% if you're on a low income. Administered by your local council, so this gov.uk page routes you to the right one.
Mobile & broadband
- Broadband & mobile social tariffs →
Discounted packages (roughly £10-£25/month) from most major providers for people on Universal Credit and some other benefits. Ofcom keeps this list current.
School uniforms & clothing
- Turn2us Grants Search →
There's no single national scheme for uniform or clothing costs — help comes from hundreds of separate council and charitable grants instead. This free search covers over 3,000 of them by your situation.
Emergency & crisis support
- Crisis and Resilience Fund →
Replaced the Household Support Fund from April 2026. Each council in England runs its own version for households facing a sudden financial shock — this explains what it is and how to apply through yours.
Not sure where to start?
- Turn2us Benefits Calculator →
A free, roughly 10-minute check of which benefits and tax credits you might be entitled to but aren't claiming.
- StepChange →
Free, confidential debt advice.
- National Debtline →
Free, confidential debt advice.