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MILLIONS of struggling households on Universal Credit could be missing out on discounted broadband worth up to £200.

Social tariffs are offered to those on Universal Credit and other government benefits such as Pension Credit.

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And it can help you save hundreds of pounds a year compared to the standard deals.

Not only that, but they often come with no exit fees, although you should always check the terms and conditions carefully.

It comes after fresh analysis by Policy in Practice shows that there was over 7.5million missed claims for the tariffs.

And the average household is missing out on £200 a year.

It means you can get access to broadband at a discounted price, which can help if you are struggling with other costs.

For example, 4th Utility social tariffs offers a broadband for £13.99 a month.

Meanwhile, BT offers a Home Essentials package for those on Universal Credit and the guaranteed element of Pension Credit.

And those Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support can also apply.

You’ll need to provide some personal information when you apply, including your National Insurance Number, so we can check that you’re eligible.

Community Fibre also offers an essentials package that costs just £12.50 a month.

Meanwhile, EE also offers a £12 monthly sim deal, for those on claiming Universal Credit.

The group will ill carry out an eligibility check every 12 months to see if you still meet the criteria to get the discounted deal.

How to get the best deal

Like with any offer, it is worth shopping around to ensure you are getting the best deal.

The regulator Ofcom has a list on its website of all the firms offering social broadband and mobile phone tariffs.

The list can be found here – www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/social-tariffs.

It’s worth scanning the list to find the package that best suits your needs.

You can also compare deals via comparison sites like Uswitch.

What other support can I get

If you claim Universal Credit you could be missing out on extra support, such as discounts to your council tax bill.

The support is given out by local councils in England, so how much is cut will depend on where you live, your income, dependants and other benefits.

You can find out if you’re eligible by visiting gov.uk/apply-council-tax-reduction.

Households can also get access to free school meals, and school uniform grants which can be worth up to £300.

During the winter, claiming benefits such as Universal Credit can also make you eligible for the warm home discount scheme.

This is a £150 discount on your electricity bill to help tackle rising costs during the winter.

BRITS could receive as much as £2,500 in free cash to spend in the likes of Greggs, M&S or Waitrose, thanks to a scheme run by a major energy supplier.

E.ON has relaunched its ‘refer a friend’ scheme and the company will hand out £50 in retail vouchers for customers and their friend, if there is a successful referral.

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So under the new, improved scheme both the existing customer and the new one will both receive the voucher.

They can be spent at a number of high street retailers, including Waitrose, Argos, Greggs and Ticketmaster.

However, the money is capped at £2,500.

Both parties will receive their voucher once the new customer has paid their first direct debit.

Julian Lennertz, Chief Commercial Officer, E.ON Next, said: “We know our customers have really valued the £50 credit they received on their energy account under our previous scheme.

“We’ve also learned that our customers want more choice over where and how they spend their £50 thank you, so they can get the best value for them.

“That’s why they can now choose from hundreds of retailers.

“And because we appreciate all of our customers, old and new, we have expanded the scheme to reward our new customers as well as the existing ones who are making the referrals.”

E.ON Next’s new scheme has been launched in collaboration with its new referral partner, MentionMe.

To be eligible, all existing customers have to do it simply sign up to the scheme.

There are some strings attached though.

To be eligible for the voucher, the new customer must transfer from another supplier and sign up to through the existing customer’s unique MentionMe link.

Customers can make up to five referrals a day, with an overall total of 25 referrals each year.

Which means that both the customer and friends could be better off to the tune of £2,500.

Last month, millions of households were urged to apply for free energy grants worth up to £1,700.

Families who have fallen behind on their gas and electricity bills qualify for help through a little-known fund.

The British Gas Individual and Families Fund is open to prepayment meter customers who are in up to £1,700 worth of energy debt.

If you can’t get help through British Gas’ Individual and Families Fund, you might be able to knock money off your energy bill through the Household Support Fund.

The fund is a giant £742million pot of money that’s been shared between councils in England.

These local authorities are now distributing their share of the fund and can set their own eligibility criteria.

That means what you’re entitled to depends based on where you live, but you will likely qualify for help if you’re on benefits or a low income, and may be able to get energy vouchers or cash.

Speak to your local council about what help is on offer. You can find your nearest by visiting – www.gov.uk/find-local-council.

Depending on what benefits you’re on, you might be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment, the Warm Home Discount or a Cold Weather Payment too.

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