UK households getting three free payments worth £3,600 to help pay for Christmas

Families on a low income could get grants to help them pay for Christmas as the festive season approaches.

Families could get thousands of pounds in free cash for Christmas – but you need to check applications now. Families on a low income could get grants to help them pay for Christmas as the festive season approaches.

Charity Turn2Us told BirminghamLive: "We always see a dramatic increase in people seeking our help in the aftermath of Christmas due to debts accumulated over the holiday. As it can be a difficult time financially for many, we want to be one step ahead and let you know about help available now."

While most charitable funds do not provide specific grants to help people meet the costs of Christmas, some may consider applications of this nature, depending on your particular circumstances and background. Others might give grants to help with basic needs, which could free up some of your money to pay for Christmas expenses.

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Job specific - £3,000

The Dance Professionals fund has grants available between £600-£3,000 for dancers, dance teachers and choreographers. This money can be used for cost-of-living expenses, medical fees, and even career retraining costs.

B&CE’s Charitable Trust has grants available worth up to £500 for people in the construction industry. The Salespeople charity helps anyone who has worked as a Business to Business (B2B) salesperson for at least five years within the last 10 years, visiting business customers in their premises to sell goods or services.

Grants are worth £1,000 or more.

Charities

Crisis is a national charity that provides a variety of services for those suffering with homelessness including employment, education, housing and well-being programmes. At Christmas they open special residential and day centres across London to help people in need.

The Salvation Army has a Christmas Present Appeal that enables them to provide toys and gifts for children, teenagers and older people in need. These gifts are distributed through their own local networks and via health visitors, social services, and other local agencies.

The Samaritans provide confidential non-judgemental emotional support 24 hours a day. They can help people who are experiencing feeling of distress or despair.

Household Support Fund - up to £600

The Household Support Fund gives local authorities cash to help hard-up families. Richmond Council offers grants of up to £600 for families with two or more children, while Haringey Council usually gives out vouchers of around £100 per household.

Responding to the announcement of a six month to extension to the Household Support Fund, Shelley Hopkinson, head of policy and influencing at Turn2us, says: “The extension of the Household Support Fund will be welcome news for the millions of households living on precarious incomes across the UK. For people who contact us in financial crisis, access to immediate support to cover food costs or pay for essentials is often a lifeline.

“Any of us could face a financial shock in our lives. We need our social security system to be adequate enough to provide financial security and stop anyone from falling into poverty. The Government must use the next six months to plan the future of local welfare and commit to a long-term funding strategy across the UK. ”