More than £300 million paid out through Help to Save with thousands more savers set to benefit

With more than £300 million having been paid out in bonus payments, and thousands more people set to be eligible for an account through the Help to Save scheme, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is kicking off UK Savings Week by reminding people who can benefit.

Help to Save is a government savings scheme offering low-income earners a 50% bonus on whatever they can save. Between £1 and £50 can be saved each month with an extra 50 pence added for every £1 saved.

Accounts can be open for up to 4 years, and people can save up to a maximum of £2,400, resulting in up to £1,200 government savings bonus being paid straight into their bank accounts. Bonus payments are made at the end of the second and fourth years and are based on how much has been saved.

In 2028, the earning criteria will be removed for people with caring responsibilities. The scheme will be open to all Universal Credit claimants, resulting in an additional 1.5 million households becoming eligible.

Latest figures show 656,700 Help to Save accounts have been opened since September 2018, with savers depositing a total of £676.7 million into their savings pots.

Statistics also show that 94% of those who have opened a Help to Save account save the maximum amount of £50 each month.

Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby said: 

Help to Save is a really beneficial scheme that offers a 50% government bonus on whatever you are able to save. We want more eligible people to take advantage of it.

The scheme will also be more accessible as it will be delivered through a multi-provider model, instead of just one, so banks, building societies and credit unions will be able to offer the scheme directly to their eligible customers.