People on Universal Credit being handed 13 freebies worth £8,162 which don't have to be paid back

Free cash you can get on Universal Credit before Christmas – and you don’t have to pay it back - has been revealed. The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) will hand people on Universal Credit free cash payouts in the final month of the year.

With Christmas coming, the time is nigh to make sure your pennies are stretching further as we head towards the festive season. Helpfully, help is at hand for those who claim Universal Credit, the most-claimed benefit from the DWP.

There is one standard allowance for your household: Single claimant aged under 25: £311.68 per month. Single claimant aged 25 or over: £393.45 per month. Joint claimants both aged under 25: £489.23 per month.

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The maximum award is subject to the 'benefit cap' – for couples or lone parents this is £1,835.00 a month (£2110.25 in Greater London) and for single claimants without children £1,229.42 a month (£1,413.92 in Greater London).

Household Support Fund – up to £500

You may be able to get help with essential costs from your local council. This is sometimes known as ‘the Household Support Fund’. This could help if you’re struggling to afford things like energy and water bills, food or essential items.

Your council may also offer food vouchers to families during the school holidays. Funding is aimed at anyone who’s vulnerable or cannot pay for essentials. You do not have to be getting benefits to get help from your local council.

Councils decide how to run their schemes. There may be differences in eligibility criteria or if or how you need to apply or who money is given to.

Council Tax discount – up to £1628.25

Student only households - both private renting and student accommodation - do not need to pay council tax so are eligible for a 100% discount. Households on a low income or receiving benefits could be eligible for a reduction of up to 100% on their council tax bill.

However, the discount offered is dependent on where you live as each local authority runs its own scheme. It depends on your household income - this includes savings, pensions and your partner’s income - and whether you have children or other adults living with you, and if you are classed as vulnerable.

You do not get council tax discounts automatically so you will need to make an application. In some instances, your claim could be backdated. If you think you’re entitled to a council tax discount, you should apply directly to your local council. In most cases, if you go to your local council website and look for the council tax section, there is likely to be a list of discounts and reductions that you can apply for.

Energy bill grants – up to £1,700

UK residents struggling with energy bill debts are being offered a lifeline through grants of up to £1,700. The British Gas Energy Trust has made this support available not just for customers of British Gas but also for those who use other suppliers and are in debt, whether on a credit or pre-payment meter account.

The reopening of the Individuals and Families Fund (IFF) comes at a critical time, as an estimated 10 million seniors could miss out on Winter Fuel Payments due to stricter eligibility. Jessica Taplin, CEO of the Trust, urged: "We encourage applications to the Individuals and Families Fund from anyone that needs support with their energy debt. The change in eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payments, coupled with the energy price cap increase from October, means more people might find themselves struggling with their bills as we head towards winter. This fund will help us support as many eligible households as possible across Britain, whether British Gas customer or otherwise."

Discretionary Housing Payment - £518 on average

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) can give you short term help to pay your rent when Housing Benefit or Universal Credit does not meet your rent in full. You can apply if:

• you receive Housing Benefit or the housing cost element of Universal Credit

• there is a shortfall between your rent and benefit entitlement

Liverpool City Council in the North West of England explains: "If we can make a payment, you will receive it with your Housing Benefit. If you want the payment to go directly to your landlord, we can arrange this. If you get Universal Credit you will receive it in the same way your housing element is paid; either to yourself or directly to your landlord."

Free childcare – up to £1,739.37 a month

You may be able to claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs if you’re eligible for Universal Credit. You (and your partner if you live with them) will usually need to either be working - it does not matter how many hours you or your partner work or have a job offer.

The most you can get back each month is: £1,014.63 for one child or £1,739.37 for 2 or more children.

Flexible support fund - £150 for training

The Flexible Support Fund (FSF) is a fund offered by local Jobcentres at the discretion of Jobcentre Plus advisers. The purpose of the new scheme is to give Jobcentre Plus Districts, and their adviser’s, more freedom to give support to local need.

There is no exhaustive list of what the FSF can and cannot be awarded for, however you may be able to get help from the fund for help for travel expenses and the like.

Help to Save - £25 in December

This scheme is designed to help people on Universal Credit build up their savings. You get a 50% bonus on everything you save into the account, up to a maximum of £300 a year. This is capped to £50 each month, so for December you'd earn £25.

A bonus is paid on the second and fourth anniversaries of the date the account was opened. The bonuses are calculated by reference to the highest balances achieved in the account, so it is important to note that making a withdrawal from the account will affect the bonus paid.

DWP Christmas Bonus - £10

The Christmas Bonus is a one-off tax-free £10 payment made before Christmas, paid to people who get certain benefits in the qualifying week. This is normally the first full week of December.

You do not need to claim - you should get paid automatically. All benefits, pensions and allowances are normally paid into an account, such as your bank account. It may show up as ‘DWP XB’ on your bank statement.

School uniform grants – up to £200

Tget means-tested free school meals, you need to be getting a specified benefit. These include Child Tax Credit, Universal Credit and others – see what benefits count. The exact criteria for free school meals varies slightly around the UK – see full info and how to apply in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

However, local authorities can set their own school uniform grant eligibility criteria on top, 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.

Healthy Start - £42.50

f you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.

If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. We’ll add your benefit onto this card every 4 weeks.

You can use your card to buy:

• plain liquid cow’s milk

• fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables

• fresh, dried, and tinned pulses

• infant formula milk based on cow’s milk

You can also use your card to collect:

• Healthy Start vitamins – these support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding

• vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to 4 years old

Warm Homes Discount scheme - £150

The eligibility requirements for the Warm Home Discount are the same as last year. To qualify, you need to claim either the Guarantee Credit portion of Pension Credit or a different 'qualifying benefit.' The Government will make an assessment of your energy costs based on the property you live in.

Adam Scorer, Chief Executive of National Energy Action (NEA) says: “The Warm Home Discount is a winter lifeline. It is a vital part of the energy bill support schemes and yet over half a million low-income and vulnerable households who aren’t on benefits or who live in marginally smaller or newer homes will no longer receive the rebates. These households are likely to be either single people, single parents or disabled households. Removing a £150 rebate from these vulnerable groups is unwelcome and an unnecessary change to a vital programme – especially during an energy crisis”.

Help with funeral costs – up to £1,000

You might be able to get a Funeral Expenses Payment if you are the partner of the deceased or the parent of a baby stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy or the parent or person responsible for a deceased child who was under 16 (or under 20 and in approved education or training)

If a close relative of the deceased (such as a sibling or parent) is in work or not getting a qualifying benefit, you might not get a Funeral Expenses Payment. If you're a close friend, you might be able to get a Funeral Expenses Payment if the deceased did not have a partner when they died or the partner of the deceased or parent of a deceased child cannot claim (for example, they live abroad or are in prison).

Maternity Grant - £500

Usually, to get a Sure Start Maternity Grant you must have no other children under 16. You usually qualify for the grant if both of the following apply:

• you’re expecting your first child, or you’re expecting a multiple birth (such as twins) and have children already

• you or your partner already get certain benefits

You must claim the grant within 11 weeks of the baby’s due date or within 6 months after the baby’s birth. You do not have to pay the grant back and it will not affect your other benefits or tax credits.