Free stuff if on UC or PIP or money saving advice?

You could be eligible for the social tariff which gives you discounted broadband and phone packages - check with providers once you know what benefits you will be in receipt of. No flaming for me, I think it's really sensible when your circumstances change to put your best foot forward - I wish you luck.

If you can afford to put up to £50 in a savings account each month open a Help to Save account for a 50% bonus on the highest balance after 2 years.

Lots of places do very cheap entry, just look on the website for places you're interested in.

Review all your finances and go through everything with Moneysavingexpert.com, loads of tips about utilities etc

Too good to go good for discounted food but you need to be creative

liddle frui and veg boxes

yellow sticker in supermarket

bulking out mince wuith oats lentilsadding vegg to bolanase

how old are your children some cheap presents can have a big wow factor eg huge cardboard box free from a shop filled with inflated baloons and perhaps bubbles

making gifts eg fudge and saving jars to put these in.
UC can entitlr to lotsof cheaap days out tower bridge london zoo.

do either of the industries you or your dh workred in have charitable funds?

cheap internet priority gas electrics new boilers warm home scheeme.

Gas/electricity and water grants. Disabled rail card. If you are eligible for blue badge some free / easier parking

Cinema , swimming, theme parks,etc are often discounted with a free carer place

Contact your local Baby Bank if you need help with school uniform and shoes; winter coats and clothing etc. Ours also does an annual pyjama appeal where they ask the public to donate a pair of new winter pj’s, a book and a chocolate selection box in a gift bag and these are given to those who may need them.

For Christmas gifts your DC are young enough not to realise about shopping second hand for gifts so visit charity shops regularly for toys, books and clothing etc. I have had some great find over the years for DC and I.

Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle, and local Facebook groups for free and low-cost toys and books etc plus clothing. Vinted can be good if you buy multiple items off one seller so that the postage costs are not prohibitive.

Often local churches and chariots around here do free or cheap Christmas events plus Christmas gift for children.

I hope things get better x

Because both are gateway benefits to other schemes.

EG with PIP you can generally get discount cards for cinema trips, where a carer goes for free, cheaper rail tickets wtih a railcard... etc etc.

If you're on a means tested benefit you may then be eligible for other support.

Much depends on what else you get and why you're getting UC though.

some of this isn't dependent on a PIP award; if you are a carer, paid or unpaid your local carers' association can refer you for support through the GP network (social prescribing)

I think you can get cheap broadband deals if you’re on benefits. Possibly called a social tariff, or something like that?

There’s the Watersure scheme as well that caps your water bills. Different water companies have different criteria but it’s worth checking out.

https://museummum.com/universal-credit-days-out/ has a list of places you can get discounted rates.

I took my DS to the Tower of London for about £6, and a similar (or even less) price for London Zoo. We would never have been able to go at full price.

The OP's children are young, so it's very easy to make Christmas very cheap, and cheerful.

Our GP surgery offers this service and does referrals. There are specialist disabled sessions for exercise at your own pace and in some circumstances they can be free.

https://www.purpldiscounts.com/

This is worth signing up for if your DH's PIP claim is successful. Although you now have to pay to join, the savings quickly add up - I get 10% off Morrisons deliveries for example which is handy as DH and I are both medically unable to drive.

As others have said, PIP can get you extra things like a disabled railcard, freedom pass and blue badge (my LA gives these to people on LRM like me if they have 8 points for moving around).

Respite for someone on PIP isn’t guaranteed. As well as the carers assessment, the disabled person would have to undergo a financial assessment to see if they are eligible as the respite would be in a care home, or involve additional home care. The mobility component of PIP won’t count towards the financial assessment, but many councils count the daily living component after 28 days in respite. And after 28 days in residential respite, the daily living component of PIP would be stopped by DWP unless the person was self funding - any stays within 28 days of each other are counted consecutively for this purpose.

More if he gets PIP

• you can register with your utility companies as vulnerable customers so they won’t shut off the power or gas if you get into arrears as most disabled people can’t survive without power & heat,
• you can get a cheaper internet connection- social tariff- but it will be the slowest package ever.
• many local gyms offer cheap memberships to disabled people that meet certain eligibility requirements.

PIP doesn’t necessarily qualify you for free stuff OP, but it can be the gateway to other services and discounts. If your DH doesn’t already have a blue badge, then if he scores at least eight points on the mobility component of PiP, or ten points on planning and following a journey he will automatically qualify for a blue badge with no further assessment.

There are several cards which you can apply for, which will allow discounts. The Max Card for days out with children with disabilities, the CEA Card for free cinema companions/carers, and the National Disability Card for a variety of nationwide offers. The Access Card is another option, recognised at venues to help highlight the access requirements of disabled people, including those with invisible disabilities.

There are also concessions to things like toll roads, tunnels and bridges, which have different eligibility conditions depending on the operator. For example, Mersey tunnels provides a certain number of free journeys each year for those with higher rate mobility component of PIP or council eligibility for a blue badge. You should check with the operator before travelling to see what the individual eligibility criteria are.

PIP can also help you get free public transport, but eligibility and the specific pass or discount you receive depend on your local council's rules, your PIP award details, and where you live. You may be eligible for a free local bus pass, a Disabled Person's Railcard, or the London Freedom Pass. But again you should contact your local council to check their specific criteria.

PIP is proof he is disabled, so you qualify for

• disabled railcard which is 30% off for him + a carer travelling with him. The carer doesn’t have to be a registered carer or you- can be a friend or a teen and up child.
• Many days out they will have concessionary tickets where the disabled person pays the full adult ticket price but then their carer gets in free or for a nominal amount. Eg V&A exhibits, theatre, outdoor festivals, etc
• if he gets enhanced mobility he should get a free bus pass in most areas
• patient transport paid for by NHS to hospital appointments for free- GP can refer him- for when you cannot take him.
• respite care for you as a carer- get a carers assessment and then apply for it
• priority for relationship counselling on the NHS for you and kids if his disabilities are affecting your mental well being.
• your kids can qualify as young carers if they help out, which can entitle them to local support group and also for contextual offers for Uni entry.

There's an evangelical Church in our town that has a charity shop attached. I've seen staff give things away to kids that they know are struggling.
Also Christmas lights switch on events are free.

Do y know about free stuff but there's plenty of heavily discounted tickets for places in London ( like the tower for a £1) zoo for £<<3 transport museum etc if you get UC
Sure there's other bits as well

I'm not on UC but I've been doing "secondhand stockings" since DS was a baby. I figured stuff from Father Christmas' workshop wouldn't come in packaging from Argos anyway, so I've bought (good condition) used toys for his stocking presents from Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, charity shops etc.

Olio
Freecycle
Local Churches have lots of free events on over Christmas.
Libraries- free events and lots of advice re other support networks.
Let school know you are struggling, they can refer for schemes like local radio stations toy appeals.
Hope things pick up for you.

I’ve already explained my error.

Housing benefit if renting, check the kiddos schools, I know my daughter’s old primary did half off clubs etc if you’re on UC. Check if your water / gas companies do low income tariffs for UC, also reduced Council Tax I believe? (Check your local council about that one just in case I’m wrong!)

I am having to claim PIP at the moment due to physical health. When I’m up to it (very rare), you can get discounted tickets for shows / zoo / (I skipped every queue at Winter Wonderland, took me about two bloody weeks to recover from it, but atleast I had a happy 11 year old!).

Discounted train tickets on National Rail, if he gets enhanced mobility (if he gets awarded PIP), then he could get a Blue Badge or a Disabled Freedom Pass, which is handy. Some gyms also do big discounts for disabled customers (depending on if any physio etc would be beneficial for your husband etc).

I’m sure there’s more, last winter I contacted my gas company and reported myself as vulnerable (hated doing it but I can’t tolerate solid food very well so I’m always freezing), next day there was a handsome chap on my doorstep with two free fan heaters, one for me and one for the little’un.

Lots of people will judge and be huffy, but these circumstances are beyond your control at the moment, and additional stressing over finances I’m sure is exacerbating everything. I hope things improve for you and your family soon, OP.

Wishing you well x