Families across the country will be looking to find the best deals over the summer holidays. Image: Pexels
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Major retailers will offer discounts and support over the summer holidays under a government scheme to help families through the cost of living crisis.
Businesses such as Amazon, Asda and Sainsbury’s have signed up to the Help for Households scheme. The campaign is set to run through the summer holidays, into the back to school season and through to Christmas, and forms part of a wider project, which includes tax cuts and support towards energy, childcare and transport costs.
Boris Johnson said: “Both the public and private sector have a role to play here – and that’s why it’s great to see so many leading UK businesses are now coming forward to offer new deals and discounts that will provide much needed respite at the checkout.
“This won’t solve the issue overnight but it’s yet another weapon in our arsenal as we fight back against the scourge of rising prices and inflation.”
Campaigners have repeatedly called on the government to do more to tackle the cost of living crisis, claiming that the Help for Households scheme is not enough to help the poorest people. Ministers have been urged to raise benefits in line with inflation, scrap the benefit cap, remove the two child limit and end the five week wait for universal credit.
But there are discounts and support options available to families to help them through the cost of living crisis. Below are all the new schemes announced as part of the government’s Help for Households retail campaign.
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Asda
Asda is extending its kids eat for £1 offer at its cafés across the country. Children aged 16 and under can eat for just £1 at any supermarket café, seven days a week, with no minimum adult spend required.
An Asda spokesperson said: “We know that families can find the summer holidays tough, and our customers are telling us that this year more than ever, they’re concerned about holiday hunger.
“With that in mind, we are so pleased to be able to offer children’s meals for just £1, with no minimum adult spend, to ensure that those who would normally rely on a school meal aren’t left without.”
As part of the Help for Households scheme, Asda has extended the offer to all its cafés across the UK until the end of the year. The supermarket has also launched its Essential Living Hub, where families can find hints and tips from a range of experts about budgeting and saving on your grocery bills.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s has announced its “feed your family for a fiver” campaign, helping customers with budget-friendly meal ideas to feed a family of four for less than £5. With recipes including chilli con carne, beef kebabs and Thai green vegetable curry, there are plenty of tasty options which your family will enjoy.
Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts said: “The rising cost of living is at the forefront of customers’ minds, so we are delighted that our ‘feed your family for a fiver’ campaign is part of the initiative, helping people save money when it matters most.”
Theatres in London
Theatres in London are uniting for “kids week”, an initiative giving children the chance to see a West End show for free throughout August. There must be an accompanying adult paying full price, however. There will also be half price tickets for two additional children in the same group.
Amazon
Amazon has a new help for households page that will provide access to free entertainment such as Freevee and Amazon Music. It will also offer educational resources for school-aged children and low-price essential groceries.
Morrisons
Morrisons will be providing a free meal for every child at in-store cafés when an accompanying adult buys a full meal.
Vodafone
Vodafone is promoting a mobile social tariff of £10 a month. Ahmed Essam, CEO at Vodafone UK, said: “Vodafone offers VOXI For Now, which is the only mobile social tariff to help those experiencing financial hardship stay connected, as well as our everyone.connected campaign to provide free connectivity to one million people living in digital poverty by the end of 2022.”
This Christmas, 3.8 million people across the UK will be facing extreme poverty. Thousands of those struggling will turn to selling the Big Issue as a vital source of income - they need your support to earn and lift themselves out of poverty.
